Gender equality is far, far away. We know it. Gaps are in all aspects of the working life of female professionals. At the base or when they enter the labour market. And at the top of listed companies. Women in full-time employment are numerically less than men. But they surpass male percentages by a lot when it comes to part-time contracts. The gender pay gap in the EU stands at 13%. Women are less likely than their colleagues to get a promotion or a raise in salary. And, no matter the spread of initiatives and regulations that, in a few cases, impose gender quotas, the continent has yet to see a gender balance at the top...

  When drastic social distancing measures were implemented due to the spread of Covid-19, many experts began sounding the alarm about children's development. And the risks of prolonged school closures. The raised alerts spanned from the lack of primary access to tools and quality teachings in the poorest areas to all the nuances of possible (if not probable) mental health issues. Particularly for those with some form of developmental struggle. In this situation, the role of occupational therapists and occupational therapy (OT) has increased. In the US, in particular, the job outlook is projected to grow by 14% in the next...

      In the years we are living, between the health and climate crisis and geopolitical and economic instabilities, workers and employers alike are facing big (big!) changes. They must deal with fast paces modifications and revisions of working cultures, structures, expectations and responsibilities. And the burden of adjusting to everchanging and intertwined global situations. The results? On one side, how mental well-being is prioritized and valued in a company has become one of the main deciding factors in accepting a job offer or staying in a place. On the other, employers recognize mental health as a pressing issue;...

    How to receive hundreds of millions views on social media over night, build a foundation for sustained commercial success, and, more importantly, send a positive message of equity, diversity, and excellence to society? Prada might have just found an elegant solution, in China. Queens Wear Prada The Women’s Football World Cup will kick off in Australia and New Zealand in July. When the Chinese national team, a major contender and a former Olympic silver medalist, landed in the airport of Adelaide, the entire team, from the head coach, a former football star in China herself, to the players, showed up in tailored white...

    All over Europe, the school year is over. But while for some students, the summer holiday started - at least - a month ago and will continue until September, for others, it has fairly recently begun and will end within 4 to 6 weeks. In the 37 countries surveyed by the Eurydice network (the nations participating in the Erasmus+ programme*), the minimum cumulated length of holidays lies between 100 and 120 days. Yet, in 13 of these countries, it exceeds the limits on both sides of the spectrum. Malta has the longest break (135 days), and, completely on the opposite, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway count for a minimum...

  The picture is clear and shocking: we are generally still biased against women as we were a decade ago, with no improvements and even some setbacks on previously granted rights. From underrepresentation in leadership positions to doubts about their business capabilities, from challenges in achieving economic empowerment to high pay gaps often due to the motherhood penalty, women still suffer from persisting stereotypes, prejudices, and all the consequent difficulties. A situation almost unchanged in the last ten years. At the end of May, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) launched its latest Gender Social Norm...

    Last year, according to estimates, in the UK (where the tradition of gap years is longstanding), between 181 and 185 thousand 18 to 24 years decided to wait to enter university after graduating from high school. UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admission Service) reported that in 10 years from 2012, the number of those deferring their education has increased by 52,1%. In the Netherlands, in 2022, the number of students putting off their studies increased, with 67% of teenagers who started a degree compared to 72-75% registered in previous years*. In the US, where the percentages are still minimal, from the pandemic many...

    «I am here to tell you that what you believe about your potential has changed what you have learned, and it continues to do that. It continues to change your learning and your experiences. How many people have ever been given the idea that they are not a math person? Or that they cannot go to the next level of math and they haven't got the brain for it? I am here to tell you that this idea is completely wrong. It is disproven by brain science. But it is fuelled by a single myth that is out there in our society. And it is very strong and very dangerous. The myth is that there is such a thing that is a math brain. That you...

    At 14, girls are twice as likely than boys to quit the sport they practice. The reasons behind it are related partly to biological (and psychological) changes happening to their bodies. And partly to external factors, from social expectations to a lack of examples to follow and investments in clubs. Why they quit? According to recent studies, girls in the US, Canada and Australia affirm dropping out of sports because they no longer have fun playing, feel too old, or need more time to study. The latter reason, in particular, is valid for 48% of female responders to the research by the Australian platform Youth13 (in...

    Whether or not to drop the surname given at birth and take the one belonging to one's partner has been around for some time. It has become the ultimate tool for some women to affirm independence and empowerment. In the US especially – where it is legally allowed to choose what surname to use upon marriage – some are vocally rejecting this tradition, that is still the norm there. The claims against it, expressed in growing numbers not only by the newer generations, go from the feeling of "ownership" it implies to the desire to honour the family of origin line. And, especially among the highly educated, more women...