February 11 is observed as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Since 2015, the day is marked to advocate greater diversity and inclusion of women and girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and to raise awareness about the implicit biases and gender stereotypes faced by girls and women in these fields. Ensuring the full participation of women and bringing gender equality in all fields of science, including emerging sciences like robotics, energy and climate change, is vital for the achievement of the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals and digital transformation. Women in science serve not only as partners in building an equitable world but also as catalysts and agents for change and innovation.

There is a constructed dichotomy between women and science. It is so entrenched in this part of the world that it is often considered an axiomatic fact that girls cannot excel in mathematics and laboratory sciences. Several factors ranging from lack of access to unequal opportunities in science disciplines and psycho-socially constructed stereotypes and checks have prevented girls and women in Pakistan from tapping their full potential and excelling in these fields.

Unfortunately, most women in Pakistan have been away from the revolutionary scientific advances of the 21st Century. This could dramatically hamper the nation’s development and its competitiveness at the global level.

According to a UNESCO Institute for Statistics survey taken in 2015, in Pakistan, 37 percent of female researchers are in medical sciences, 33.8 percent in natural sciences, 15.4 percent in engineering and technology and 11 percent in agricultural sciences. The remaining 39.9 percent of female researchers opt for socal sciences and humanities. This indicates a particularly high gender gap in some of the fastest growing and well-paid fields, like computer science, engineering and energy. The major reasons cited for the gender disparity related to the role allocated to women in Pakistani society and pre-existing prejudice that form a glass ceiling for them and encourage male presence in the workplace.

The attitude of teachers and parents who view STEM and cutting-edge fields like robotics, artificial intelligence and energy as purely masculine and unfit for girls is also affecting female participation in these fields. A patriarchal setup perpetuates an inflexible and exclusionary environment for girls, making the STEM fields less attractive and unsupportive. Moreover, math anxiety among girls is passed on by some female teachers. These are socially constructed disabilities having no scientific basis.

Producing an adequate supply of women researchers in a country where millions of girls are out of school or were unable to complete their formal education is a task requiring dedicated efforts.

Conversely, at the elementary level, girls perform better in geometry and general mathematics. Unfortunately, a lack of information and absence of good role models has resulted in a shortage of role models to inspire young female researchers to take up these fields.

In view of the gender gap in socio-economic development, especially the gender dimension of science and technology research, there is a need for immediate remedial measures. We need to start by making education accessible and equitable at all levels. To produce an adequate supply of women researchers in a country where millions of girls are out of school or unable to complete formal education is a task requiring dedicated efforts. Breaking the chains of primitive and retrogressive social norms will start at home. Parents must start investing in their daughters’ educations at par with their sons. They should provide support for learning opportunities and appreciate their daughters’ abilities. Parents and teachers need to make girls realise that math skills are learnt and change over time. This will help them overcome their math anxiety and fear. A gender-neutral and harassment-free environment at the research laboratories where female researchers can work round the clock without any bias or fear of their male supervisors and colleagues can enable them to work efficiently and diligently. In this way, we can create role models and success stories. A visible role model can help inculcate a mindset that promotes growth and empowers girls to embrace challenges and solve complex problems.

In order to keep abreast with the demands of the fast-changing world, the government needs to ensure that every student is exposed to STEM, artificial intelligence, aeronautics and machine learning from an early stage of their development. Connecting STEM experience to girls’ lives, promoting active hands-on learning, and emphasising that STEM is collaborative and community-oriented will help open a new window of opportunity for girls and women. However, for all this to happen, an increased awareness of higher education and career and pathway opportunities, role models and mentoring programmes with women in STEM for young girls are needed.

Diffusing hierarchical and dependent relationships between trainees and faculty, changing power dynamics and making the academic community responsible for reducing and preventing sexual harassment, ensuring transparency and accountability, and supporting targets of sexual harassment, will help girls find the fields attractive to work in and excel. This will instill confidence in them and encourage them to make careers in the fields that were earlier dominated by men. The tipping point in this is making the work environment safe, providing incentives like equitable pays, flexible timing and strong family and medical leave policies.

The writer works as an advocacy officer at   Sustainable   Development Policy Institute (SDPI),   Islamabad