The Women and Public Policy Program’s faculty, research fellows, and students are committed to advancing women and gender equity globally. Through rigorous research, we offer gender insights into work, politics, and conflict that have the potential to reduce or eliminate barriers so all people can fulfill their life aspirations unconstrained by gender bias.

Spotlight

Celebrating International Women's Day and Women's History Month

We're sharing on-campus and virtual events encompassing a broad range of disciplines and perspectives; from our signature community breakfast reflecting on the state of gender equity, to a discussion on gender politics in culinary arts, to a lecture on the history of transgender artists' influence on design fields. See the full list of events here, and join us to build community and generate discussion around the many facets of gender and gender equity.

 

Our spring seminar series focuses on evidence-based approaches to advancing fairness at work so everyone can thrive and organizations can excel. It's led by WAPPP co-director Iris Bohnet and co-sponsored by the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy.

 

As we approach GAP's 10-year anniversary in April, we're thrilled to announce that GAP hit one million users at the end of 2023, signifying the impact of its research translation on practitioners, policymakers, and journalists who we’ve enabled to advance gender equity in their local contexts.

 

WAPPP co-director Hannah Riley Bowles joins MetLife VP and Global Chief DEI Officer Dr. Cindy Pace on MetLife's 'Inclusion Begins with Me' podcast to discuss how negotiation can go hand-in-hand with compassion, empathy, and emotional intelligence.

Research & Programs

The WAGE research initiative focuses on data-driven strategies organizations can use to "debias" their systems and create more inclusive workplaces, as well as interventions that enhance individuals’ agency in negotiating more gender-equitable work arrangements, including paid and unpaid labor.

The Gender and Politics initiative aims to advance research on representative democracy and equitable participation in governments across the globe. Our "Oval Office" training program inspires and supports nontraditional candidates to run for public office. 

The Gender and Conflict initiative unites faculty, students, and researchers at Harvard Kennedy School and beyond to study gender in non-violent and violent social movements and the social and institutional factors influencing the prevalence of gender-based violence.

The Gender Action Portal (GAP) serves as an online tool for decision-makers across sectors. The collection of research focuses on experimental approaches—both in the field and in the laboratory—and draws from multiple disciplines, including economics, psychology, and organizational behavior.

The mission of the fellowship is to support and advance academic and practitioner-scholars in their gender-related research. By conducting research and engaging with faculty and students at Harvard Kennedy School and beyond, the fellows enrich the intellectual life of the center.

Explore all the programs, projects, and initiatives at the Women and Public Policy Program.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF LAND AND PEOPLE

The Women and Public Policy Program and the Harvard Kennedy School are located on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary unceded homeland of the Massachusett people, the surviving descendants of the first people of Massachusetts and of the Neponset band of the Massachusett. We honor this tradition and work toward a gender equity agenda that addresses the needs of all women, including Indigenous women and Indigenous communities. For more information, please visit our GAP Land Acknowledgement resource page.

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