The challenges of implementing a gender-inclusive language framework in an international organisation
published on
04/16/2025
written by
Kevin Isaacs Kawi
At WOAH since 2021 and Publications Coordinator since 2024, Kevin contributes to the production of WOAH’s flagship publications: The Animal Echo, the Scientific and Technical Review, ad hoc publications and co-publications. He has a BA in Spanish and Politics and an MA in Interpreting and Translation (French and Spanish to English). He enjoys walks, podcasts and sugar-free coffees.
Margarita Amézquita
Margarita holds a BA in Modern Languages with a minor in Political Science and an MA in Editorial, Economic and Technical Translation (Spanish, English and French). She has been working with WOAH since 2005. She is actively involved in environment and nature protection associations.
Ella Micheler
A publisher, editor and translator, Ella has been an Editorial Consultant for WOAH since 2023, contributing to its Style Guide and other publications. She holds a BA and MA in Modern World Literature and Creative Writing, and runs the indie press Kurumuru Books. She enjoys gardening and training her companion animals.
Anne Reale-Bailly
At WOAH since 2013, Anne is currently working for the Procurement Unit and the Directorate of Administration. She is also coordinating the internal translation process. With a background in translation (English and German to French), Anne loves the Beatles, Greece and ukulele.
One hundred years ago, in 1924, 28 founding nations convened in Paris to create the Office international des Epizooties (OIE), now known as the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) [1] (see Fig. 1). One hundred years later, the Organisation’s structure is significantly more diverse, not only in terms of geographical representation (183 Members across five regions) [2], but also in terms of gender [3,4].
Figure 1. Representatives of the founding nations of the Office international des Epizooties [1] ©WOAH
Though WOAH has made great strides for gender equality both within the Organisation and in the greater field of animal health, there is still work to be done. As part of this work, the Gender Task Force (see Fig. 2) was founded in December 2021 [5], its remit being to investigate how gender affects WOAH’s work, identify training needs and, ultimately, create an organisational Gender Policy to promote gender equality [6].
Figure 2. Delegates; representatives of national governments, non-governmental organisations and civil society; and WOAH staff members discussing
the role of gender in the animal health and veterinary fields during the World Café on Gender,
hosted by WOAH’s Gender Task Force during the 90th General Session in May 2023 ©WOAH/Gabriel Reyes
We can foster greater equality by going back to basics and examining the language we use – or languages, rather, as WOAH is an international organisation that employs English, French and Spanish as its official languages. WOAH has embraced this opportunity for positive change: in January 2024, it launched a brand-new style guide for the English language to provide consistency, clarity and scientific rigour for all its written products and to offer guidance on gender-inclusive language [7].
In this article, we delve into the development of gender-neutral writing for the English style guide and explore important considerations for the future development of the French and Spanish companion style guides.
Even though English has roots in West Germanic languages, with influences from Old Norman, Old Norse, Latin and Greek [8], it lacks the gendered structure so common among many modern Indo-European languages, including French and Spanish. That is not to say that this makes gender-neutral writing a breeze – English is full of expressions and words that reinforce societal expectations of masculinity and femininity that have no place in WOAH publications. Moreover, English is not governed by a single authority, unlike French with the Académie française or Spanish with the Real Academia Española (RAE). Instead, English has multiple varieties, with British and American English being the most prominent, each with multiple sets of rules outlined by a myriad of language organisations. This diversity raises a key question for any editor: which rules should be followed? Is it ‘color’ or ‘colour’? ‘Pet’ or ‘companion animal’? ‘Air hostess’ or ‘flight attendant’? (Hint: for all three questions, the answer is the latter according to the WOAH Style Guide.)
These may seem like minor issues, but style and language rules for writing determine the audience that engages with the text and who feels included. Fundamentally, language shapes our worldview and, in turn, how we wish to shape it. For an organisation with a global reach like WOAH, inclusive language is vital because it ensures that all readers – across ethnic, cultural, religious, age and gender divides – feel included and respected.
The WOAH Style Guide was developed with this inclusivity in mind and is designed for both native and non-native speakers. It aligns with one of the largest British language authorities, the Oxford English Dictionary, and is based on that authority’s associated style guide, New Hart’s Rules [9]. Though language authorities differ on details like comma placement and capitalisation, all agree that gender-inclusive writing is paramount.
So, how do we achieve gender-neutral writing? Most importantly, we must avoid assumptions about gender. In many cases, gender is irrelevant: rather than assuming that a veterinarian is male or female, we can simply use the singular ‘they’ to make the term gender neutral. For example, ‘The veterinarian should ensure they explain the procedure’. The first use of the singular ‘they’ can be traced back to 1375 [10], and that usage is now accepted by most English style guides, appearing across academic journals, news outlets and publishing houses in the English-language sphere. Whether ‘they’ will survive in the evolution of the English language or whether a new gender-neutral pronoun will take its place remains to be seen. WOAH will regularly re-evaluate its style guide to ensure that it reflects changing language trends. In this way, the Organisation’s use of language can best achieve its mission of supporting animal health, with every single reader feeling included and respected.
For an organisation with a global reach like WOAH, inclusive language is vital because it ensures that all readers – across ethnic, cultural, religious, age and gender divides – feel included and respected.
French, with its Latin roots, is a gendered language. Every common noun is either masculine (taking the article le) or feminine (taking the article la), with a few exceptions – like amour (love), délice (joy, pleasure) or orgue (musical organ) – that flip gender depending on whether they’re singular or plural. However, these gender distinctions can be misleading. For example, when we say j’ai vu une grenouille (I saw a frog), using the feminine word grenouille, we’re referring to the species, not the frog’s biological sex. The grenouille/frog could be male or female.
We’re all familiar with the age-old rule whereby adjectives take the masculine plural form if even one of the nouns being referred to is masculine. Take this example: les fenêtres et les murs de la maison ont été récemment repeints (the windows and walls of the house were recently repainted). Despite fenêtres being feminine plural and murs masculine plural, the adjective repeints defaults to the masculine plural form.
So, how do we make French more inclusive? It’s a challenge that might seem easier in a language like English, in which a single article – ‘the’ – covers all genders.
The French language isn’t as rigid as we might think – it’s been evolving for centuries. Take the 16th century author Joachim Du Bellay. His book La Deffence et Illustration de la Langue Francoyse is now known as La défense et illustration de la langue française [11]. What’s more, French isn’t a one-size-fits-all language; it’s shaped by the unique geographical influences of each country where it’s spoken. Our Canadian friends, in particular, are masters of creative language, especially when it comes to steering clear of the Anglicisms we sometimes indulge in here in Europe.
For decades, the feminisation of certain job titles and roles – such as cheffe de service (female head of department), première ministre (female prime minister) and autrice/auteure (female author) – has reflected significant societal shifts, with the latest regulation on this change dating to 2017 [12]. Although there was initial resistance from the academic world [13], that opposition has since faded [14]. Yet, to avoid the confusion caused by symbols often used in inclusive writing (like the ‘·’ in paraprofessionel·les vétérinaires or the hyphen in paraprofessionel-les vétérinaires), which can be difficult for non-native French speakers to understand or challenging to read aloud, alternative formulations can be more effective. For example, instead of directly translating ‘The chairperson of the session was…,’ we might say: La séance a été présidée par… (the session was chaired by…).
The French language is rich enough to embrace greater gender inclusivity – it’s all about being creative and forward-thinking. As Molière put it in Le Malade imaginaire: ‘The old, Sir, are the old, and we are the new’ [15].
The French language is rich enough to embrace greater gender inclusivity – it’s all about being creative and forward-thinking. As Molière put it in Le Malade imaginaire: ‘The old, Sir, are the old, and we are the new.’
Spanish, like French, has a deeply ingrained gendered structure, but its approach to inclusivity has sparked a distinct conversation.
Given that Spanish is the official language of 21 countries across three continents, how can we ensure we don’t overlook cultural, social and regional specificities when creating a style guide?
When we consider these specificities, we may find more questions than answers when it comes to principles of equality and the elimination of discrimination. Take, for example, Argentina’s 2024 government ban on inclusive language in official documents – language that had been adopted by the previous administration – as well as any reference to gender perspective [16]. Similarly, in 2020, Colombia’s Constitutional Court ruled that the double mention of gender (e.g. bienvenidos/bienvenidas or maestros/maestras) was ‘unnecessary’ [17]. That same year, the RAE – a 300-year-old private institution dedicated to preserving the unity of the Spanish language – issued its ‘Report on Inclusive Language in the Spanish Constitution’, advocating for the use of generic masculine terms or, where needed, ‘epicene’ words, collective terms or abstract nouns [18,19].
When developing a style guide for an international organisation, it’s crucial to consider the organisation’s mission. In this case, as the global authority on animal health, WOAH must prioritise scientific language in its communication strategy. This type of language is defined by precision, accuracy, clarity and concision – qualities that often require setting aside the subjective nuances of everyday speech in favour of economy of language [20].
When creating the Spanish style guide, after identifying the target audience, it may be important to strike a balance between ‘language unity’ and language as a ‘shaper of cultural and social attitudes’. This will help writers craft content that is respectful of the Spanish language, the audience and science.
Given that Spanish is the official language of 21 countries across three continents, how can we ensure we don’t overlook cultural, social and regional specificities when creating a style guide?
For a trilingual 100-year-old organisation with a global reach like WOAH, the use of inclusive language in English, French and Spanish is important because it ensures that all readers feel included and respected. With the experience of the English style guide in hand, WOAH will continue to embrace evolving language through the development of French and Spanish companion style guides.
This article was originally written in English, French and Spanish. With special thanks to Kevin Isaacs Kawi for English translation, Kristen Congedo for English copy-editing, Florent Taconnet for French translation, Séverine Bègue for French copy-editing, Margarita Amézquita for Spanish translation and Margarita Alonso for Spanish copy-editing.
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Cover image copyright: ©WOAH
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