During the 29th Annual Women of Color (WOC) STEM Conference held in October, the flagship event showcased a new cohort of all-stars and rising stars in scientific and technical careers.
The WOC Tech Allstars and Rising Stars are chosen from a highly impressive pool of hundreds of nominees.
The Outstanding Achievement Award categories honor early-career professionals in STEM who are making significant strides in their fields. Click here to revisit the highlights from the ceremony.
A new report by UNESCO, in collaboration with the G20, highlights the ongoing underrepresentation of women in scientific studies and various professions.
The organization urges countries to take strong measures to promote gender equality in these fields as soon as possible. In G20 countries, the percentage of women working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has stagnated at 22%.
This lack of representation hinders our collective ability to innovate and tackle pressing challenges such as climate change and digital transformation.
At Brazil's initiative, UNESCO produced a report that emphasizes this issue and recommends actions to promote gender equality.
During the Brazilian presidency of the G20, the Women's Empowerment Working Group met for the first time to address this topic.
Drawing on its expertise in education and science, UNESCO provided G20 members with the report titled "Changing the Equation," which offers a comprehensive overview of women's presence in STEM fields.
The report reveals that the percentage of women in STEM occupations has only slightly increased over the past fifteen years in G20 countries—from 19% in 2005 to 22% in 2021.
Additionally, women in these fields face significant pay gaps and limited career advancement opportunities.
In ten G20 countries with available data, the average salary of women in STEM is at most 88% of what men earn; in four of these countries, it is even less than 75%.
Scientific grants are essential for many researchers, yet in 2022, women comprised just 37% of grant recipients in thirteen countries, including ten G20 members.
Gender inequalities also begin in education, where women receive only 35% of STEM university degrees in G20 countries, despite performing as well or better than men academically. This percentage drops to 29% in information and communication technologies and 26% in engineering, manufacturing, and construction.
Moreover, over 40% of women studying STEM subjects report experiencing sexist behavior. To address these issues, UNESCO calls on G20 countries to implement comprehensive policies promoting gender equality.
This includes encouraging girls and women to pursue STEM studies and ensuring fair and equitable working conditions for young female graduates.
Key actions involve combating gender bias in educational materials, providing gender-sensitive career advice, and creating supportive policies that allow women to balance work and family life without disadvantages, while ensuring their contributions are recognized and fairly compensated.
🔴 BREAKING
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) October 28, 2024
A new report produced by @UNESCO in collaboration with the @g20org demonstrates the chronic under-representation of women in scientific studies and professions.
The Organization calls on countries to take strong measures to reinforce #GenderEquality in these fields… pic.twitter.com/EgPr3set08
