The IAU officers, with the agreement of the Executive Committee, have approved new Anti-harassment guidelines aimed at preventing any form of harassment during IAU meetings. With these guidelines, the IAU emphasises its commitment to providing an inclusive atmosphere that encourages the free expression and exchange of scientific ideas.

Organisers of IAU Symposia, Regional Meetings and Focus Meetings in particular are invited to take note. However, all IAU meeting attendees have a role to play in creating an inviting and harassment-free environment through their own behaviour and by discouraging inappropriate behaviour in others.

The IAU opposes any discrimination or harassment based on factors such as ethnic origin, religion, citizenship, language, political or other opinion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age, and is committed to preventing such incidents. The guidelines apply to any activity of scientific bodies in which the IAU has or shares responsibility, including social activities and informal gatherings attached to those events. Harassment that occurs in meetings not held under the auspices of the IAU may also be considered, once a formal investigation of the case has been conducted by the relevant authority and made known to the Executive Committee of the IAU.

The full text of the guidelines may be accessed via the following link:

http://www.iau.org/static/archives/announcements/pdf/ann16007a.pdf

Please note also that the IAU has published its House Rules for the use of its official Facebook page and Twitter account. These rules may be found via the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/InternationalAstronomicalUnion/notes

All IAU members are invited to take note.

Links

• IAU Anti-harassment guidelines (PDF 53KB)

Contacts

Piero Benvenuti
IAU General Secretary
Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 43 25 83 58
Email: iau-general.secretary@iap.fr

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Press Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 761
Cell: +49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars@eso.org