inclusion: Accommodating spouses/partners :
Professional development

Tips and Tools

Domestic Partner Agreements IITA Community Resources Center IRRI Family Services Center G&D initiatives to support CGIAR spouses/partners Direct appointments Consultancies Fellowships Appointment to advertized vacancies Couple appointments A guide for spouses/partners: what to ask

Scientific seminars
1 Diverse opportunities exist at Centers for facilitating the professional development of spouses/partners. Spouses with technical background could be interested in the extensive program of scientific seminars hosted by Centers. These seminars also provide the stimulation of conversations with scientists/researchers in the audience, and help avoid a sense of professional isolation. The financial cost of including spouses/partners in the seminars would be zero; there simply would be a few more people in the audience.

Access to libraries, computing services, etc
2 Centers can provide spouses/partners with access to libraries and other information resources at very little cost. Access to computing facilities would be essential in many locations.

Other seminars and presentations
3 Centers may also conduct seminars from time-to-time on issues that are social rather than scientific in nature. One obvious example is the topic of HIV/AIDS. Several Centers have conducted seminars not only on their policies but also the latest developments on HIV/AIDS issues. Spouses/partners can become involved by supporting people in their community suffering from HIV/AIDS and could derive considerable benefits from sitting in on relevant seminars/lectures at their Center.

Financial support for further study
4 Centers can also consider financial support for spouses/partners undertaking further study, particularly if it is broadly relevant to Center activities. While the direct benefit to the Center might be hard to quantify, there is likely to be an indirect benefit in terms of both the spouse’s/partner’s and the staff member’s sense of engagement with the Center.

5 This support is very important for expatriate spouses, particularly those how have put their professional careers on hold because they are not eligible for employment at the duty station. Some may be in a position where they wish to initiate or complete studies for PhDs or master’s degrees.

6 While this type of support would be especially adopted for expatriate spouses, it is important to not overlook the desirability of providing similar options for support for distant and local spouses.

© CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program 2006