Engendering the Field of STEM

2021 ◽  
pp. 219-233
Author(s):  
Roshan Ara
Keyword(s):  
Gender Gap ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Current State ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
The World ◽  
Cultural Taboos ◽  
Working Out ◽  
Women Participation

The participation of women in STEM disciplines has remained quite dismal. Only 35% of scientists in the world are women, with a gender gap in STEM at 55%. Various socio-cultural taboos, gender stereotypes, lack of awareness of parents, and a patriarchal mindset of the society have divided the domains of STEM knowledge according to gender. It is imperative to mainstream gender at all policy making levels and embrace woman governance in the field of STEM. Reducing the gender gap in STEM will help in reducing gender gap in skills, increase employability and productivity of women, and be a tool for reducing occupational segregation which in turn will lead to faster economic growth. Concerted efforts are needed to boost the confidence of girls and hone their talent in the field. The chapter aims at examining the current state of women participation in STEM, assessing the gender gap existing in the field, identifying the reasons responsible for the least participation of women in science and technology, and working out the ways and means for engendering the field of STEM.

scholarly journals Women in Science and Technology: An Indian scenario

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akanksha Swarup ◽  
Tuli Dey
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Voting Rights ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Equal Rights ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Representation Of Women ◽  
Current State ◽  
The World ◽  
Indian Scenario

AbstractThe concept of treating women as equal to their male counterpart became a topic of political debate in Europe during the ‘age of enlightenment’ (18th Century). The battle towards equal voting rights took approximately 100 years to win, and went until the 19th Century. It was only around 1902-1920 that women got equal voting rights in prominent Western countries followed by others. Amidst the celebration of ‘women’s vote centenary’ throughout the world, the issue of equal rights to education and work is still waiting for the proper attention. Historically the presence of women in educational, technological and scientific fields remains mostly marginal. In this article, the current state of under-representation of women in the science and technology community is depicted, primarily highlighting the Indian scenario. It is observed that throughout India, and amongst the relatively developed countries of the world, the presence of women in highly prestigious Institutes and Universities remains negligible even in this day and age. The probable causes behind such inequality need to be analyzed, addressed and looked upon for remedial purposes.

scholarly journals Participation of women in science in the developed and developing worlds: inverted U of feminization of the scientific workforce, gender equity and retention

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shobhana Narasimhan
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Gender Equity ◽  
Purchasing Power Parity ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Power Parity ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
The World ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Scientific Workforce

Abstract We consider various factors impacting the participation of women in science throughout the world, with a particular emphasis on developing countries. For the world as a whole, we find that when the percentage of women working in science in a country is plotted vs. the per capita GDP of the country (adjusted for purchasing power parity) the data fall on an inverted U-shaped ‘boomerang’ curve. Thus, as per capita wealth increases, the percentage of women in science first increases and then falls. This is in marked contrast to the (right-side-up) U-shaped curve that is well-established for the participation of women in the labor force as a whole, suggesting that there are factors in the culture of science that result in opposing trends to those observed in the general workforce. This also results in many developing countries having a much higher participation of women in the scientific workforce than is seen in economically developed countries. Contradicting previous reports to the contrary, we find a positive correlation between gender equality in science and the degree of overall gender equity in the country. Thus, we do not find evidence for the claim that greater gender equity results in the manifestation of innate gender differences in preferences for science. We find differing patterns of retention in science for women in developing and developed countries. We also briefly discuss other factors that make it difficult for women in developing countries to follow a scientific career, or to advance in their careers.

Representing women in science: designing laboratory activities based on women’s work

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Maciel ◽  
Gustavo Braga Alcantara ◽  
Caroline Gomide ◽  
George Sand Franca
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Stem Careers ◽  
School Students ◽  
Female Scientist ◽  
Gender Parity ◽  
The World ◽  
The Future ◽  
The University

<p><span>The gender gap is measured globally by the World’s Economic Forum in four key areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. According to the 2020 Global Gender Gap index, it will take us nearly 100 years to get gender parity. Also according to the World’s Economic Forum report, if we consider the fastest growing professions of the future, a critical data reveals a problematic situation: women form only 26% among people with AI and data skills, 15% among people with engineering skills and 12% among those with cloud computing skills. Education is thus an important key to embed gender parity into the future. Today, 55% of working-age women are in the labour market, against 78% of men. This gap can increase even more if we do not include young girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses. Gender issues concerning access, permanence and ascension of women in STEM careers, in general, relates to various aspects. Between other elements, we point the underrepresentation of women in science communications, sexual or moral harassment caused by professors and colleagues during undergraduate and graduate ages, or the overload of housework for girls, when compared to boys, during early school ages. In other words, gender imbalance in STEM careers is the result of a series of structured oppression suffered by women of all ages. In this context, we developed a set of laboratory routines based on the work of female scientists, directed to students from 12 to 18 years old, at the Planaltina Campus of the University of Brasília. The University of Brasília is the 4th most prominent university in Brazil, and its resources are distributed between four camps. Planaltina Campus is situated 40 km away from the main campus. In recent research, it has been shown that only 30% of Planaltina young population has the intention of accessing the university. From those, only 15% pretend to study exact and earth sciences. Thinking about the World’s Economic Forum alert about professions of the future, we felt the necessity of promoting a program to capacitate, inform and demystify tabus from exact sciences among high school students, especially among girls. The activities start with the rescue of a prominent female scientist in the field that will be worked on that day, followed by a pedagogical transcript of her work. We conduct a hands-on laboratory within the University of Brasília infrastructure. The idea of the labs is to work as a school reinforcement on natural sciences disciplines, and to give visibility to women in science, improving issues such as underrepresentation and mistrust in women work. We will present the results of an implemented questionnaire and also comment about the challenges of our experience. </span></p>

scholarly journals Relevance of Women Reservation in Nepal

1970 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 34-38
Author(s):  
Manju Shreshta
Keyword(s):  
Policy Making ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Local Level ◽  
The State ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
Democratic System ◽  
Women Participation

The major feature of democratic system is the inclusive and equitable representation of every individual from every stratum. True democracy can’t be imagined in absence of equal representation either politically, socially or economically. Female access must be ensured in every mechanism of the state for the justifiable and proportionate participation of women. Their position, as a privilege, must be saved to bring them into the mainstream of the state since they have been suppressed and oppressed from the time immemorial. Women, who hold more than 50% of the total population, must be ensured with their equal representations from local level to central. This paper aims to appraise the situation of women participation in politics and policy making and to highlight the significance of reservation for them. Keywords Women, politics, participation, policy making, reservation DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/av.v1i0.5308 Academic Voices 2011; 1: 34-38

scholarly journals Gender Equality on the UN Agenda and the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Organization

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-47
Author(s):  
N. Shvedova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
75Th Anniversary ◽  
25Th Anniversary ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
Women And Girls

he 2020 is rich in anniversaries: the world community celebrates the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN) and the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, a mass meeting of more than five thousand participants in Beijing in 1995. A three-day special event is planned during the September Session of the UN General Assembly in New York (2020), dedicated to the celebration of “Beijing Plus 25”. At these meetings governments from around the world are expected to commit to speeding up and scaling up the promises made in the historic Beijing Platform for Action. And the last 2019 was marked by the fortieth anniversary of the most important document in the field of gender equality – the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women – CEDAW, which is rightfully widely known in the world as “The Bill on the Rights of Women” (1979). Anniversary dates increase motivation to comprehend the role and place of events and phenomena associated with them. Moreover, the UN theme and gender equality is a hot topic, which is due to two main circumstances. 47НАДЕАЖ АШВОИнст иД суА ВД ОНАДЕО ОДЕ суА СКсу ОДДнаАЖдОЖт иы суА ВДнаАЖдОИ иЖНОДнРОсниДInternational Trends. Volume 18. No. 2 (61). April–June / 2020On the one hand, the UN is a unique global organization that has a significant impact on international processes. On the other hand, the problem of gender equality is the basis of social stability, a condition for development and an instrument for creating the quality of life. Bridging the gender gap in all areas of life is vital to achieving sustainable development and fulfilling the promise of the 2030 Agenda. To achieve the sustainable development goals, it is necessary to ensure full and equal access for and participation in women and girls. Despite progress, women and girls are still systematically underrepresented as users and leaders in critical areas of human life. The fight against stereotypes and myths occupies a key place. There is a wide range of options available to address both the causes and symptoms underlying gender stereotypes and social norms. The emphasis on a sound strategy with a gender perspective is something that can contribute to achieving gender equality for the sustainable development of the civilized world, this is what the UN insists on.

scholarly journals Socio-cultural developments of women in science

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Mamlok-Naaman
Keyword(s):  
Gender Gap ◽  
Women Scientists ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Educational Organizations ◽  
Unconscious Bias ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
The World ◽  
Family Demands ◽  
And Mathematics

Abstract Women have not been represented enough in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines in most countries around the world, despite their advancements in these areas. Unfortunately, they continue to represent only a small proportion of faculty members in science and technology fields, especially at more prestigious research institutions. Women still need to cope with discrimination, with an unconscious bias, as well as with family demands. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, fewer than 30 % researchers from all over the world are women. Analysis of “A Global Approach to the Gender Gap in Mathematical, Computing, and Natural Sciences, How to measure it? How to reduce it?” survey advanced our understanding of this phenomenon and identified various factors that cause it. The recommendations address a variety of groups: instructors and parents of girls in primary, secondary, and higher education, educational organizations, scientific unions. and other worldwide organizations. This paper will describe the situation of women scientists in Israel, with examples of chemistry women in the academia.

scholarly journals Belonging and Masculinities: Proposal of a Conceptual Framework to Study the Reasons behind the Gender Gap in Engineering

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 11157
Author(s):  
Andrea Vera-Gajardo
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Feminist Studies ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
The World

The low participation of women in STEM fields is well-known and has been well documented around the world. Closing this gap plays a central role in achieving a more equal society and thus sustainable development. The gender gap in STEM must be understood as a complex problem which can be explained through various factors (cultural, economic, and social) and therefore requires the efforts of different disciplines and actors. This article proposes that the hegemonic masculinity theory together with the concept of belonging, understood from the point of view of feminist studies and cultural studies, can contribute a necessary conceptual framework for understanding the causes behind the gender gap in engineering.

Gender Bias in Computer Courses in Australia

2011 ◽  
pp. 501-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iwona Miliszewska
Keyword(s):  
Affirmative Action ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Computer Competence ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
Women In It ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Female Predominance ◽  
The World ◽  
Action Measures

The participation of women in science and, more recently, in information technology (IT) has engaged researchers for more than 20 years. Despite extensive research and numerous practical interventions designed to address the relative dearth of women in IT, the problem persists. This is an important question since computing and computer competence are critical to ongoing developments of the “information revolution.” Evidence from around the world suggests that despite female predominance in undergraduate enrolments (59% in Australia, 55% in America, and greater than 50% in many European Union countries), women are reluctant to pursue IT study at tertiary level (Rees, 2001). Initial approaches to reverse this trend centered upon notions of equality and affirmative action, since the lack of significant numbers of females in the discipline was seen as inequitable. To alleviate the problem, intervention programs aimed at women have promoted information on technology-related careers, provided experience of computing work, and highlighted female role models. Other initiatives focused on helping women develop skills, attitudes, or background knowledge that women were thought to lack. These affirmative action measures, while commendable in fostering gender equality, were not sufficient in that they often served to reinforce the conceptions of IT as a masculine domain and, consequently, failed to attract women to IT. This suggests a need for an alternative approach—a re-conceptualization of IT into an environment that women would naturally embrace. Such a need, in the area of tertiary computing education, motivated this study. The aim of the study was to investigate, from the students’ perspective, the perceived problems faced by female computing students at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia; the study focused on problems related to the learning environment, particularly on direct and subtle gender-related problems encountered in the classroom, and special needs of female students.

THE ROLE OF HUMAN CAPITAL IN ENSURING THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN SCIENTISTS IN SCIENCE

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muyassarzoda Fayzieva
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Satisfactory Result ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Women Scientists ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
The World

The participation and interest of women toward science are increasing gradually in the globe but if compare with general amount of scientists in the world with the number of women scientists; it will be clear that it is not a satisfactory result. This thesis is based on secondary data and author’s private minds about the role of human capital in the participation of women in science. The development of science among women and women scientists is achieved through the support by society and its participants.

scholarly journals GENDER GAP IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 324-330
Author(s):  
Devananda Beura
Keyword(s):  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Scientific Development ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
Scientific Experiments ◽  
Long Time

The world has historically experienced with the exclusion of women from science for a long time. Later on, the gender questions in science and technology was extensively raised and the entry of women in science and technology got started. But, the participation of women in Science is still not in parity of expectation. Although the gender gap in science and technology is continuously narrowing down over the years, men still continue to outperform women in scientific experiments and achievements. The negative attitude of women about science and technology remains active due to the influence of socio-psychological parameters. Gender inequality in science and technology can be reduced by proper monitoring, proper informing and creating necessary work conditions in these fields.  Gender equality and normal work conditions for both men and women are prime factors for functioning of any normal society and settling the gender inequality in science and technology may strengthen the socio-scientific development.

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