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The following is a description of the ten measures inclu-
ded in the article: These guidelines
1. Support during cover several aspects,
pregnancy from support during
pregnancy to work-life
Institutions should provide comprehensive support sys-
tems, including resources, guidance and adjustments, to balance or career
help women during the pregnancy process. This support development
should go beyond physical considerations and also ad-
dress emotional and professional aspects. opportunities

2. Flexible parental
leave policies

To promote the implementation of paid parental leave that
is flexible and respects individual choices. These policies
should also foster a culture of inclusion and support for all
caregivers. 7. Support to professional
development
3. Childcare and
breastfeeding facilities The implementation of positive actions to support mo-
thers’ academic careers is crucial to address the professio-
nal disadvantages associated with motherhood. This may
Establishing child-care facilities and spaces for breastfee- include mentoring programmes, funding opportunities,
ding or expressing breast milk allows mothers to continue and extension tenure policies designed specifically to su-
their academic work while caring for their children. These pport and retain talented women in academia.
facilities shall be easily accessible, promoting a perfect in-
tegration between work and family life.
8. To prioritise
4. To organise the mental health
activities of the Establishing comprehensive mental health programmes
department during and resources is essential to addressing the unique cha-
school hours llenges faced by academic mothers. Providing access to
counselling services, stress-management workshops and
Whenever possible, department meetings or activities work-life balance initiatives promotes the overall well-be-
should be held during school hours to facilitate attendan- ing of mothers in academia.
ce to parents. Allowing online participation in seminars
and meetings is also a way to help work-family balance.
9. Fight against
discrimination and
5. Flexibility of harassment
working hours

Disseminating and enforcing anti-discrimination and an-
Providing flexibility in working hours allows for effective ti-harassment protocols is crucial to creating a safe and in-
management of professional and personal responsibilities. clusive environment for all researchers. Academic institu-
This flexibility may include remote work options, part-time tions should actively promote a culture of respect, equality
arrangements, or adjustable schedules to suit the diverse and zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or preju-
needs of working parents. dice based on gender or motherhood.

6. Adaptation of 10. Equitable
teaching practices distribution of workload

Adapting teaching practices to support parents with young Ensuring a fair distribution of workload and responsibili-
children promotes inclusion and ensures that mothers can ties avoids overburdening women and promotes equal
actively participate in their academic commitments. Provi- opportunities for career development. Academic institu-
ding alternative teaching assignments, recorded lectures, tions shall strive for transparency and fairness in the as-
or asynchronous learning opportunities benefits both mo- signment of tasks and ensure that workload is balanced
thers and other students with diverse responsibilities. among all researchers.

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