WORKPLACE EQUALITY
The role of women in health, research, and science In the fight against COVID-19, the contribution of women has been fundamental, especially given their dominant presence in the health sector. Despite the weight of women in the
industry, there is still a gender gap in favour of men in terms of pay. The United Nations estimates that the
wage gap between men and women is still 11 per cent in the health sector globally. The number of women also continues
to grow in other scientific fields. In 2019, there were more than 6.3 million female scientists and engineers in Europe, representing 41 per cent of the employees in those fields. Female scientists and engineers exceed 50 per cent in almost all areas of Spain, Poland, and Sweden, as well as Lithuania (55 per cent), Latvia (53 per cent), Denmark (52 per cent), and Norway (55 per cent). Italy is not among the best: with slight differences from one area to another, a mere 30 per cent and 35 per cent of scientists and engineers are women (see Fig 4). With exception to the biomedical
sector, women are still generally in the minority in computer science, physics, mathematics, and engineering. Many female researchers thus choose
not to pursue research, which is why women’s academic careers tend to be shorter than that of men. Another factor to take into consideration concerns the visibility reserved for women – they are invited to conferences less often than their male colleagues – and the awarding of prestigious awards are fewer. To promote the presence of women in scientific disciplines, UNESCO and UN- Women (the United Nations organisation dedicated to gender equality) established in 2015 the International Day of Women and Girls in Science which is celebrated on 11 February. This is the underlying message: to tackle the great global challenges, science and opportunities for women need to improve (see Fig 5).
STEM subjects and the gender gap: an increasingly evident problem The technological revolution happening throughout the world requires sufficiently
55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
Number of women in The Netherlands
European average 39
Figure 4. The number of women continues to grow in scientific fields.
educated and specialised people with the technical-scientific knowledge required by industry 4.0 that characterises STEM study paths, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. Unfortunately, however, the female population is finding itself partly excluded from this epochal change. The numbers speak for themselves: in the world, fewer than 4 out of 10 graduates in STEM subjects are women. For this reason, even in this area there is talk of a real gender gap, both in terms of education and work, as a result.
Why are girls not choosing STEM paths? The reasons why women who choose STEM pathways are a minority are many and range from individual factors to social and family background elements. Individual factors include lower personal motivation and self-esteem, especially in subjects such as mathematics. The biological reasons why women would naturally be less capable in these subjects seem to be outdated. As for the social and family aspects,
first of all there is the prejudice and stereotype that women and scientific subjects are not compatible. This social perception creates a sort of psychological
barrier for women, who since childhood are prone to feel inferior to males in these areas. Sensation to which even the gender stereotypes of teachers sometimes contribute. The lack of models in the collective imagination also plays its part. In general, it seems that these social co- factors are however more decisive than the individual ones.
The subjects of tomorrow: disparity today means disparity in the future The historical and persistent current pay gap that exists between women and men is a clear problem. The STEM fields represent the jobs of the future and those that will guarantee greater career opportunities and economic returns. Resolving the gender inequality in
STEM subjects means addressing the wage gap issue, as more women can and will compete for the jobs of the future.
Women in engineering Although women have made great strides in previously male-dominated professions in the last few decades, engineering remains one of the occupations where female employees are hugely underrepresented. Why is the gender divide still so wide in technical fields? Since 2012, the number of women
Figure 5. To promote the presence of women in scientific disciplines. 34 IFHE DIGEST 2023
Source: Eurostat Elaborazione Orizzonti Politici
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