Due to the news recently published, The CES Board and the Presidency of the Scientific Board  provide the following clarifications:

CES respects the right of individual reply, but distances itself from all the positions publicly assumed by Boaventura de Sousa Santos and Bruno Sena Martins, namely with regard to the former's intention to take legal action against the authors of the chapter in the book 'Sexual Misconduct in Academia - Informing an Ethics of Care in the University'.

As already announced, CES is setting up an independent commission to investigate the occurrences described in the aforementioned chapter. During this process and until conclusions are reached, the CES informs that the positions held by Boaventura de Sousa Santos and Bruno Sena Martins are suspended.

CES also informs that the graffiti mentioned in the aforementioned chapter, not having been accompanied by formal participations, have raised the need for the institution to set up more explicit mechanisms for regulation and denunciation..

CES recalls that in 2017 the regulations of the Ethics Committee were approved, that in 2019 the CES Code of Conduct was approved and, at the end of 2020, the CES Ombudsperson was instituted, begining its activity in 2021.

Since its establishment in 2021, CES reports that the Ombudsperson has received two complaints, neither of them for moral or sexual harassment.

CES also reports that the current members of the governing bodies declare that they are not aware of any attempts to ascertain or conceal any misconduct that may have occurred in the past.

Regardless of the type of complaints CES stresses it rejects of any form of harassment or abuse and stands in solidarity with all victims of violence of this nature.

The CES governing bodies recognise the urgency of working to strengthen the existing mechanisms to prevent and combat harassment, by revising the Code of Conduct and other ethical guidance documents, clarifying procedural aspects of the complaints mechanism, and training and raising the awareness of all persons who have CES as institutional host.

Possible instances of inappropriate or unethical conduct do not reflect the working culture of CES as a whole.

CES is now a large institution, bringing together hundreds of researchers, students and staff. It operates in very diverse thematic and scientific areas and the scientific merit of its work is recognised.

CES remains committed to its mission of defending human rights and to the duty of transparency, protection and justice towards all the people who form part of its community.

The CES Board and the Presidency of the Scientific Board | 14 April, 2023