We have known for some time that women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) employment across the world. The European Union has taken a leading role in promoting gender equality in STEM careers. And yet, the gender gap in STEM persists.
The findings of a study called She Figures in 2018 confirmed an overall improvement in gender equality in the EU. However, the proportion of women working as researchers in Research and Development (R&D) is still lower than that of men.
According to an analysis by the World Economic Forum, women are heavily underrepresented in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector, making up only 20 per cent of the workforce. Women with AI skills are also less likely to be found in senior positions than men.
The dramatic rate of technological advancement in recent years has created a huge demand for human resources in ICT-related professions. However, despite the shortages reported by Maltese employers in these industries and efforts to recruit women and girls into ICT, the field remains dominated by men (NSO, 2017). In fact, women represented only 18.2 per cent of the total cohort of ICT graduates in 2014/2015 (NSO, 2017) and the European Commission reported that in 2015, women represented only 16 per cent of ICT specialists (ESDE, 2018).
Evidently, women are still not provided with the same opportunities as their male counterparts, especially within the IT industry. Beata Young, founder of Women On IT, shared a number of worrying stories. In one case, a woman in the technology sector said that her boss thought that “women can never be managers because of their periods”. Such bizarre and ignorant assumptions are what keep the playing field unequal.
These kinds of attitudes may also explain why over 56 per cent of women with STEM expertise will leave the IT industry over the course of their careers (NCWIT). The biggest hurdle is creating work environments that allow women to thrive in their careers. To do this we must break the glass ceiling, repeatedly. Certainly, more decision-making female role models will be needed to drive the culture change.
A lot of work still needs to be done to ensure woman are effectively involved in decision-making processes (as stated in 2015 by the SDG on Gender Equality). Our country can achieve this only if policies are adopted and legislation is enforced to promote gender equality and female empowerment.
Gender Equality needs to start from a young age. Numerous initiatives in Malta are currently engaging more students in ICT. Teachers, parents and caregivers must take a leading role in removing the ingrained stereotypes and supporting diversity in STEM and more women taking careers in ICT; Malta needs it and so does Europe.
This article was written by the team behind Esplora Interactive Centre and Women on IT, founded by Beata Young.
Did you know?
• Twenty per cent of the Earth’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest.
• There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world.
• In an entire lifetime, the average person walks the equivalent of five times around the world.
• Elephants are the only animal that can’t jump.
For more trivia see: www.um.edu.mt/think
Sound Bites
• New research suggests that octopus arms might be able to make ‘decisions’. A new model shows how the suckers can independently respond to their environment, without needing to wait for instructions from the brain. To do this, the individual arms have to coordinate with each other in a complex system that bypasses the brain entirely, indicating that the brain may not know where the arms are in space at any given point.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190625102420.htm
• Scientists have discovered two Earth-like planets near one of our closest stars. The planets were found near Teegarden’s star, which is approximately 12.5 million light-years away – practically down the road in planetary terms. The planets are just slightly heavier than the Earth and are located in the ‘habitable zone’, which means it is possible for water to be present in liquid form.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190618123509.htm
For more science news, listen to Radio Mocha on Radju Malta and www.fb.com/RadioMochaMalta.