Our Mission
We are a think tank and a social enterprise. We advocate for gender equality and social justice, and use our research findings to help others incorporate a gender perspective and develop gender-sensitive solutions
We are a think tank and a social enterprise. We advocate for gender equality and social justice, and use our research findings to help others incorporate a gender perspective and develop gender-sensitive solutions
GenPol’s international team share a keen interest in gender equality issues, have excellent interdisciplinary research skills, and experience in policy-making, the media world and campaigning. The international profile of the team also allows them to research, import and spread best practices across different countries.
Dr Lilia Giugni is a Research Associate at the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation at the University of Cambridge, an intersectional feminist activist, and GenPol’s co-founder and CEO. Her research interests and advocacy work include gender-based violence, online abuse, the intersections and synergies between different social justice movements, and the gendered side of work, education, technology and social innovation. A multi-disciplinary researcher, Lilia holds a PhD in Politics from the University of Cambridge, and is a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts and Commerce. She has worked in academia, policy and the third sector in Italy, France, the UK, and Vietnam. She regularly writes and delivers talks and keynote speeches on matters of gender and social justice, and sits in the board of several charities, social enterprises and feminist networks.
Chiara is GenPol's co-founder and Chief Policy Officer. She chairs GenPol's Research Associates network. She's based in Brussels and works as an independent consultant on matters of EU policies and advocacy. She has experience in EU and global policy, including experience on human rights, gender, social rights, health, education and sustainability issues. She has previously worked for the European Commission, the European Parliament, the UN and both the no-profit and private sector. She holds a Bachelor’s and two Master’s degrees in Politics and International Relations and has researched matters of regionalism, foreign policy and gender.
Ellen is completing a PhD in French at the University of Edinburgh having completed her Ba and MPhil at the University of Cambridge. She is a freelance writer and translator, and has worked at several international film festivals in France, Italy and the UK. She has additional experience in simultaneous interpretation, and has previously worked as a legal researcher focusing on international and employment law in Francophone Africa. Her academic research focuses on colonial memory and transnational migration, and their impact on city spaces.
Francesca is a consultant for the cultural sector with a background in environmental economics and statistics. She has worked on matters relating to gender, organised crime and environmental policy, and has experience working in the public sector and academia in Italy and the UK. She started reflecting on matters of gender during her time at female-only Newnham College (Cambridge University), where she obtained her master's degree.
Giorgia is currently based in Cambridge. She recently completed a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory at UCL in London, working mainly on feminist theory. Her final research project was at the crossroads of political philosophy, ethics, and art theory, and focused on the relationship between art and structural injustice in the context of gender inequality.
Alessandra recently graduated from LSE with a master’s degree in International Social and Public Policy. She is interested in gender dynamics, economic inequality and informality and has recently conducted a research on the effects of informality on the exploitation of women’s body in the agricultural sector. She identifies as a feminist and advocates for the rights of women and minority groups.
We believe gender analysis is key to understanding the complexities of the modern world and producing meaningful social change. Our cutting-edge research sheds light on matters of policy and politics, education, work, media, technology, violence, sexuality, social justice, and innovation.
Our work as a gender think tank is inspired by intersectional feminist research.
As a gender consultancy, we help clients and partners understand the impact of gender and intersectionality on their work, integrate a gender perspective, and find gender aware-solutions to their problems.
GenPol takes conventional gender consulting several steps further, incorporating broader expertise on how gender affects organisations and society.
Academic rigour. Bespoke solutions. An innovative, exciting approach to gender analysis.
We can help with: gender-based violence prevention, gender and development, sector-specific gender research, gender-aware product and process design, gender in the workplace, gender orientated due diligence, gender-sensitive decision-making & governance, gender and education.
Thoroughly researched, targeted deliverables include:
GenPol is among the organisers of “Cercando La Cura” (Seeking Care), a cycle of webinar bringing together Italian gender, social and environmental justice experts and activists. Speakers include our CEO Lilia Giugni, Chief Policy Officer Chiara De Santis, and Junior Research Associate Carmen Ferrara. Details, calendar and recordings of the webinars can be found here.
September 28th, 2021: Dr Lilia Giugni speaks of gender injustice in cities at an event hosted by the Italian Network Against Hate Speech and Hate Crimes. You can watch her speech here.
July 8th, 2021: Our CEO Lilia Giugni delivers a research stream keynote on her work on gender washing in multinational corporations at the EGOS 2021 Conference. You can watch a longer version of her presentation here.
June 22nd, 2021: Our CEO Dr Lilia Giugni delivers remarks to G20 international parliamentary delegates. You can watch her speech, which touches upon gender injustice in urban contexts and feminist approaches to the city here, or read more about this topic here.
March 23rd, 2021: Our Chief Policy Officer Chiara De Santis speaks of gender, technology and digital abuse at the University of Bristol.
March 11th, 2021: Our CEO Lilia Giugni speaks about digital gender-based violence and the intersections between gender and technology at the University of Trento. More details and link to the webinar here.
March 8th, 2021: Dr Lilia Giugni delivers a training on online violence against female reporters for the Italian Journalists Order.
February 2021: In this webinar, our CEO Lilia Giugni speaks about global feminist movements together with feminist historian Lucy Delap and social innovation experts Paul Tracey and Neil Stott.
February 5th, 2021: Our CEO Dr Lilia Giugni speaks of digital gender-based violence and LGBTQ+ rights at the Federico II University of Naples (in collaboration with Antinoo Arcigay Napoli).
January 2021: In this podcast, our CEO Lilia Giugni speaks to Laeticia Thissen from the Foundation for European Progressive Studies about gender digital inequalities and EU policies.
January 20th, 2021: Our CEO Lilia Giugni speaks about technology and gender justice at CODE (Coalition on Digital Equalities) Forum.
December 9th, 2020: Our Chief Policy Officer Chiara De Santis presents our work on digital gender-based violence at ’The silencing effect’, an advocacy event we co-organised with Brussels Binder, involving public and private sector stakeholders.
November 25th, 2020: On International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls, our CEO Dr Lilia Giugni presents Dr Lucy Delap’s book “Feminisms: A Global History”, together with fellow feminist activists and researchers. Watch the webinar here.
February 29th, 2020, Reggio Calabria, Italy. Here’s to another one-day workshop from our Connect the Dots series, looking at social justice from an intersectional feminist perspective and exploring progressive alliances in Southern Italy. We are kindly hosted by local NGOs Arcigay, Agedo and feminist collective Non Una Di Meno.
February 5th, 2020, Brussels. Dr Lilia Giugni presents our remarks towards a comprehensive EU Gender Equality Strategy to EU Commissioner Helena Dalli and fellow European experts and activists at FEPS gathering. You can read our contribution, focusing on digital gender-based violence and the preventive power of education here.
January 18th, 2020, Cambridge. Dr Lilia Giugni delivers one of the keynote speeches at the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation Annual Conference. You can watch her discuss ‘gender washing’, aka the commercial appropriation of feminist messages and language on this YouTube video.
January 11th, 2020, Portici, Naples. We present Carmn Ferrara’s book on the rights and challenges of LGBTQ+ migrants and asylum seekers, together with speakers from ALFI, Rete Lenford and Le Lazzarelle. Some press coverage here.
December 21st, 2019, Naples, Italy. Connecting the Dots is back! Together with our partners from Alfi, Zero 81 and Coop Siani we are back with two days of workshops and talks on feminism, intersectionality and cross-movement alliances. Among the speakers, activist and author Klementyna Suchanow, International Women’s Strike.
November 28th, 2019, Castel Maggiore (Bologna, Italy). At GenPol we strongly believe that education can prevent abuse. This year our International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women initiatives continue in central Italy with two days of workshops for teachers and parents on matters of digital abuse.
November 21st, 2019, Brussels. This year we mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence by launching our brand new policy paper on digital gender-based violence! We are excited to present it at the 2019 PES Women Annual Conference, where our CEO Lilia Giugni will be among the speakers.
October 23rd, 2019, Cambridge. Our CEO Dr Lilia Giugni speaks digital gender-based violence at the Cambridge Festival of Ideas. Read more about it on CJBS Insights and Cambridge Network.
October 17th, 2019, Athens. Our CEO Dr Lilia Giugni speaks about the social and gendered side of sustainability at The Economist Sustainability Summit.
September 12th, 2019, Naples (Italy). At GenPol we see intersectionality as the foundation of our feminism, and are proud to be joining forces with ALFI (Italian Feminist and Lesbian Association), Zero81 and Radio Siani to host a day of workshops, discussions and exchanges following up from Connecting the Dots. Read more here. Facebook link to the event here.
July 12th, 2019, Naples (Italy). We are delighted to deliver a full day of training as part of Connecting the Dots, an action research project supported by the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation and GenPol in collaboration with Italian civil society organisations Cooperativa Giancarlo Siani and ALFI . It aims to stimulate reflection on the intersections between organised crime and patriarchal oppression, using insights from a study conducted by CCSI researchers on feminist and anti-mafia activism in Southern Italy.
June 25th, 2019: In response to the success of the London event, we are delighted to partner with Westminster Briefing again to host a follow-up #MeToo on Campus event in Manchester. View a full agenda here and make sure you register on the website!
March 30th, 2019: GenPol supports international mobilisation in support of women’s sexual and reproductive rights and against the World Congress of Families. Hear our CEO Lilia Giugni speak at the activists’ gathering in Verona here.
March 28th, 2019: Our CEO Lilia Giugni and reporter Rossalyn Warren speak about women in politics, journalism and academia at King’s College London.
March 20th, 2019. [Read our blog post here]. We are hosting the conference#MeToo on Campus: Ending Sexual Misconduct in UK Universities’ in conjunction with Westminster Briefing. This conference is your chance to explore your university’s next steps in embedding cultural change on campus and to ensure you avoid the sanctions and reputational damage that accompanies non-compliance.
March 8th, 2019: Our CEO Lilia Giugni is among the judges of the Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Naples, Italy.
[La nostra CEO Lilia Giugni sarà fra i giudici del Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award a Napoli.]
January 26th, 2019. Our CEO Lilia Giugni will speak of gender, organised crime, and how to research feminist topics in harsh fields, while GenPol NED Jess Rose will present her research on sexual harassment in the fundraising industry at the Judge Business School Social Innovation Research Conference. Register your interest here (invite only).
November 19th, 2018. Dr Lilia Giugni delivers a key note speech at the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre General Assembly and presents GenPol’s latest report on consent training and sexual violence prevention in UK universities.
September 8th, 2018. Dr Lilia Giugni talks intersectionality and progressive alliances at Italian social justice rally Rebel Network. Her speech available here.
July 20th, 2018. As part of our collaboration with University Women in The Arts, our CEO Lilia Giugni joins the panel discussion How To Improve The Transition For Women From Studying The Arts To Working In The Arts. taking place during London Writers’ Week. Panellists also include The Guardian Higher Education Network editor Rachel Hall, playwright, mentor and Learning and Participation Manager at the Ovalhouse Theatre Titilola Dawudu, and playwright, Artistic Director and BBC New Talent Hot List writer Jingan Young.
June 25th, 2018. [Live podcast] What role can men play in advancing gender equality? We’re proud to be featured on SOS Music Media amazing podcast series! There will be a live recording starting from 5pm in central Cambridge. Our CEO Lilia Giugni will be in conversation with Tanner Taddeo of SOS Music Media, discussing ways in which men and boys can contribute to the struggle towards a more gender equal world in the wake of #MeToo. In partnership with the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation.
May 22nd, 2018. We are pleased to announce that GenPol has been awarded the 2018 Lee-Yung Family Award from Trinity Hall College, University of Cambridge. We are honoured to receive this contribution and we are grateful to the Lee-Young family and the Trinity Hall alumni network for their support.
May 17th, 2018. GenPol and the Africa Technology Business Network hosted a roundtable in Holborn (London) on the role of business in bridging the digital gender divide.
March 28, 2018. The Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation hosted a #femalefounders panel at the Judge Business School in Cambridge. Our CEO Lilia Giugni joined the panel discussing how to make social enteprises more inclusive and fairer spaces for all. Fellow social ventures Turtle Dove, Mamoq and BeeBee Wraps shared the stage.
March 1, 2018: Consent in the classroom: mapping SRE provisions after #MeToo, Trinity Hall College, University of Cambridge. GenPol launches its first policy paper examining the links between Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) and gender-based violence, suggesting that comprehensive and inclusive teaching can help challenge and prevent abusive behaviours. The paper arises from experts’ contributions to GenPol’s launch conference in June 2017. This is one of the first studies assessing the quality and influence of sexual education across all EU member states. Attendance is free for all but places are limited, please RSVP here.
November 30, 2017: ‘Gender identities, mafia and anti-mafia‘, University of Catania. GenPol’s CEO Dr Lilia Giugni is talking about her research on gender and organised crime in a seminar hosted by the Deparment of Education at University of Catania, Sicily.
October 14-15, 2017: FiLiA – the Feminism In London conference. Our CEO Dr Lilia Giugni is speaking on Sex and Relationship Education as a tool against gender-based violence.
July 3, 2017: ‘TRINITY HALL WOMEN 40 ANNIVERSARY’, Trinity Hall, Cambridge: Our CEO, Dr Lilia Giugni, presents GenPol’s research on gender and organised crime at Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
June 24, 2017: ‘GENPOL LAUNCH CONFERENCE, Cambridge Judge Business School: ‘Can education end abuse? Sex ed tools to tackle gender-based violence’, co-organised with the Cambridge Centre for Social innovation
March 11, 2017: ‘INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CONFERENCE, King’s College, Cambridge: ‘Our CEO, Dr Lilia Giugni, speaks at Women in Academia panel
March 3, 2017: ‘INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S WEEK SPEED MENTORING EVENT, Cambridge Judge Business School’, co-organised by GenPol and the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation
November 30, 2016: WOMEN PATH’S, University of Leeds, ‘Our CEO, Dr Lilia Giugni, presents GenPol’s programme ‘Gender & Organised Crime’ at the University of Leeds’
Comprehensive sex and relationship education is increasingly regarded as crucial to counteracting gender-based violence. Recent research conducted across the globe shows that young people who participate in good quality SRE programmes are more likely to make autonomous, informed and healthy decisions about their sexual lives (Advocates For Youth, 2009; Sex Education Forum UK, 2015). However, successfully delivering educational tools, especially when incorporating a specific focus on the themes of gender, informed consent and every form of violence and discrimination, often eludes policy-makers and other stake-holders.
Furthermore, it is also a challenge to develop high quality guidelines and training programmes specifically tailored to the personnel of organisations whose work intersects matters of gender and gender-based violence. For example, in recent years there has been a concerted effort within law enforcement agencies to develop effective educational programmes to help their staff to deal with gender-based violence and, more broadly, the ways in which matters of gender influence their activities (NATO 2015; UN Women 2015).
GenPol and the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation invite you to an exciting day of debates, panel discussions, networking, and key notes. This conference will bring together a wide range of participants from different nationalities and backgrounds, including researchers, educators, therapists, legal experts, social and media entrepreneurs, civil servants and representatives from a variety of institutions. Topics of discussion include consent, successful sex ed programmes, disability and gender-based violence, online abuse, and a conversation on masculinity. By fostering a fruitful dialogue between experts and practitioners in the field, we aim to identify both a clear theoretical framework and effective practical resources for different institutional audiences.
See the full Conference Programme
Find the event on Eventbrite and Facebook
If you would like to find out more about our research, advocacy and consultancy work, we warmly invite you to get in touch. We are not advertising for vacancies at the moment. Please note that we may not able to respond to unsolicited applications.
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