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On 8 March 2026, Spanish universities join in the commemoration of International Women's Day under the slogan proposed by UN Women: 'Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL women and girls'. This slogan challenges our institutions, whose mission is to generate, transmit, and apply knowledge through research, teaching, and transfer.

Within the university environment, defending women's rights means guaranteeing their full participation in academic, scientific, and professional life, free from barriers, gaps, and discrimination. It means promoting safe environments free from harassment and violence, and making equal opportunities a real and effective principle, beyond mere formal declarations.

Justice requires us to analyse reality through a gender lens and act accordingly. Despite the progress made and the women who have paved the way for us in the academic and scientific fields, gaps and obstacles remain that limit their progress in research careers on equal terms and hinder their access to decision-making and leadership positions.

Correcting inequalities

Correcting these inequalities is not a symbolic issue. It is a demand for justice that strengthens the quality, excellence, and integrity of university action. The university cannot be entirely fair while part of its talent remains invisible and underrepresented. Action requires courage, responsibility, consistency, and sustained commitment.

It means moving from words to deeds by consolidating and evaluating equality policies, supporting the development of women's scientific vocations, and eliminating the structural biases that continue to condition the evaluation, funding, and recognition of women's merit. It also involves strengthening cooperation among universities, public administrations, the productive fabric, and civil society to build a more inclusive and equitable educational and scientific ecosystem.

A univesity free of inequality

On this International Women's Day 2026, the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) reaffirms its commitment to a university free of inequality, diverse in its leadership, jointly responsible for care, and exemplary in the active defence of human rights.

From here, we demand Rights, Justice, and Action for ALL women and girls. And, in a very special way, for the women and young people who study, research, teach, and work in our universities. All of us who are part of the University Community have a responsibility to make our institutions spaces of equality and of the future.