The STEM Gap: Why We Need To Act Now

As we commemorate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, I'd like to take the opportunity to reflect on women's current status, which prompts me to ask if this day can truly be labeled as a day of celebration?

STEM fields are frequently referred to as the jobs of the future, fostering innovation, social well-being, inclusive growth, and long-term development. However, the gender disparity is alarming. Women make up fewer than 30% of researchers working in research and development around the world (UNESCO). Not only are women underrepresented in STEM, but they also publish less, are paid less for their research. In addition, their growth is stifled by a lack of mentors, limited scholarship opportunities, and financial limits to meet basic necessities, compounded by a lack of family support. They do not advance as far in their careers as men, and enrolment in university STEM courses by women and girls is significantly lower than that of their male counterparts. Gender discrimination in STEM is a worldwide problem, as evidenced by a survey of women in science-related disciplines, in which 91% claimed it was a barrier to their careers (MSNBC,2019). In South and West Asia, the gender gap in research reduces to 18.5 % with women accounting for fewer than 15 % researchers in India and single figures in Nepal. In the African nation of Chad, women make up only 5% of researchers, the lowest percentage among those polled. (World Economic Forum, 2020).

Women Representation in STEM

The majority of people identify STEM with men and hold unfavorable stereotypes about women who work in male-dominated fields, leading to the belief that women are less talented than men. Prevalent socio-cultural norms, which are primarily concerned with the formation of feminine identities, exacerbate this prejudice. This affects women's educational opportunities, learning outcomes, job decisions, as well as their self-esteem. Consequently, the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak may jeopardise significant progress toward gender equality. As a result of lifestyle changes, workplace culture, and greater domestic and caring commitments, women face considerable barriers to career progression, according to the results of the Australian Academy Of Sciences.

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Despite the significant gender gap in STEM, there is an urgent need for more women to participate, since they offer a unique viewpoint that is often overlooked. Diversity makes science better, without women, innovation would be constrained, and half of the population will be left out. More women are needed to boost innovation and better represent societal requirements. Secondly, Improved involvement of women in STEM fields will benefit the global economy. According to research, increasing the amount of women in STEM fields, might result in a $12 trillion increase in global GMP by 2025.Finally, STEM professions are in high demand, and a shortage of professionals could jeopardise the science and engineering fields' future. Meanwhile, studies show that middle school females have a strong interest in STEM, which declines when they enter high school. Furthermore, as we progress, their numbers continue to decline. We only have around half of the STEM workers we need because women make up about half of the world's population. As a result, the solution to the skills gap is simple: more women in this domain.

Stakeholders and landscape

There are a few organisations that are undertaking measures to improve the representation of women in STEM. They are , GIRL UP Stem which grants scholarships to emerging leaders to bridge the gender gap, United Nations Girls Educations Initiative's STEMtheGap, WAAW foundation -in partnership with Legos, Rio Foundation, and lastly  Athena Swan Charter. According to our research, there are several scholarship opportunities for women, but few options of funding to address the challenges that girls and young women face in pursuing STEM jobs. As a result, the majority of financing is available to individuals, rather than grassroots organisations.

Another important finding was that the gender gaps were wider in developing nations than developed nations. For instance, The gender digital divide limits the growth of digital skills among girls in poor nations. Another stumbling block is gender norms. When it comes to digital skills, boys in Sub-Saharan Africa gain more than girls while in school. Girls had lower levels of digital abilities than males, even in households with computers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana.

Low and Middle Income Countries, Source UNICEF

High Income Countries, Source UNICEF

Another important finding was that the gender gaps were wider in developing nations than developed nations.

Our findings demonstrate that STEM programs in the Global South are very few and limited in scope. In addition, there is a lack of grass-root level momentum to achieve long-term change. In order to address some of the underlying barriers, it is key for grassroots movements to be supported as they are best-positioned to achieve impactful change at the community level.  There is a pressing need for substantial, participatory grantmaking projects that may fill up these deepening gaps and go beyond scholarship funding to provide possibilities for women's holistic development in this sector. This is primarily accomplished by fostering an enabling environment, which includes increasing access to STEM opportunities, while simultaneously boosting family support, ensuring more access to STEM role models and mentors, and challenging gender conventions to encourage more women to explore careers in STEM.

The views expressed are the author's own.