The Lancet Group, publisher of 18 scientific journals, has vowed to increase gender equity, diversity and inclusion in research and publishing.
Its editors took a diversity pledge to increase the representation of women and colleagues from low-income and middle-income countries among its editorial advisers, peer reviewers and authors. The group has added a preference for diversity in all commissioning letters and instructions to authors in its journals.
The group also instituted a policy stating that no editor will participate in a panel at a public conference or event when there are no women on the panel. They also stated they will work to ensure gender balance in the events sponsored or organized by the group.
The group's media team also will try to include quotes from women in all news releases, and the journals are changing up their editorial advisory boards to that ensure half are women.
"As editors and journals we are just one part of an ecosystem that includes academic institutions and research funders where unacceptable gender bias is well documented, and of a broader society that disadvantages certain groups to create an uneven and unfair playing field," the group's editors wrote. "But we are committed to be the change we want to see and to play our part in helping to ensure diversity and inclusion in health research and publishing."
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