Breakdown of Stereotypes Vital to Help Women in Career Building: Guterres

News Desk

Islamabad: “We must do more to promote women and girl scientists through scholarships, internships, and training programs that provide a platform to succeed women in professional life,” said United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Women would be able to overcome obstacles in job development and professional life with the support of affirmation of women’s rights, the dismantling of stereotypes, and the removal of institutional barriers; stated Antonio Guterres in connection with International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Secretary General said that women and girls contributed diversity to research, increased the number of available science workers, and offered new viewpoints on science and technology, all of which were advantageous to all.

Meanwhile, International Day of Women and Girls in Science marked on 11 February across the globe, including Pakistan, aiming to ensure full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls.

According to a UN study from 14 countries, the probability for female students graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in science is 18 percent, while the male equivalent is 37 per cent.

More women and girls in science equals a better future for all.

We must promote gender equality in science by affirming women’s rights & breaking down stereotypes.

Let's all do our part to fill classrooms, laboratories & boardrooms with women scientists.#WomenInScience pic.twitter.com/8LTO1VZ6lX

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) February 11, 2023

Although making up half of the world’s population, women are still not allowed to fully participate in the economy and that they have a crucial role to play as well as a right to participate in sustainable development policies, initiatives, and decision-making at all levels.

A significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Women are still underrepresented in these fields despite having made great strides in raising their participation in higher education.

On 20 December 2013, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on science, technology and innovation for development, in which it recognized that full and equal access to and participation in science, technology and innovation for women and girls of all ages is imperative for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Despite a shortage of skills in most of the technological fields driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, women still account for only 28 per centof engineering graduates and 40 per cent of graduates in computer science and informatics.

Women are typically given smaller research grants than their male colleagues and, while they represent 33.3 per cent of all researchers, only 12 per cent of members of national science academies are women.

In cutting edge fields such as artificial intelligence, only one in five professionals (22 per cent) is a woman.