Identifying gender inequalities, providing tools to combat them and challenging existing stereotypes with the support of immersive virtual reality. These are the main objectives of the European project led by Pepita Giménez-Bonafé, from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Bellvitge Campus of the University of Barcelona, which has received funding from the European Commission as part of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) 2024 programme.The VR Balance project (Advancing Gender Equity in Work and Home Life through Virtual Reality) is promoted by a consortium formed by the UB, as coordinator; the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) in Lithuania; the Women's Entrepreneurship Foundation (WEF) in Poland; and the company MetaMedicsVR (MMVR). It is also supported by the Spanish Association of Women Entrepreneurs (ASEME), the European Women's Association (EWA) and the University of Huelva (UHU).
Virtual reality applied to teaching
One of the aims of the project is to educate students and business leaders on gender equality issues. Giménez-Bonafé, a member of the UB's Department of Physiological Sciences, says that "VR Balance results from a critical analysis of persistent gender inequalities both at work and at home. There is an urgent need to address systemic inequalities that hinder women's professional advancement, affect their mental well-being, and perpetuate traditional gender roles".
The project incorporates the use of immersive virtual reality practices in teaching to enhance empathy and understanding while challenging existing gender stereotypes, mitigating discrimination against women in the workplace and fostering a culture of co-responsibility in caregiving.
