Equity, Diversity And Inclusion

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“We need all hands on deck , and that means clearing hurdles for women and girls as they navigate careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”- Michelle Obama. The statistics globally indicate that more girls are in school today than ever before, however girls do not always have the same opportunities as boys to complete and benefit from an education of their choice. Regrettably, too many girls and women are held back by biases, social and cultural norms and expectations. These limitations negatively impact the quality of the education women and girls receive and the subjects they study. Girls are particularly under-represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, and consequently in STEM careers. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5 addresses gender equality. Unfortunately, gender inequalities are still deep-rooted in every society. Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development. The United Nations General Assembly declared February 11, 2015 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2015. Having attended Meadowbrook High School in the 1980’s the overwhelmingly majority of the teachers of Sciences were females, interestingly there were more females as teachers of Mathematics. Jamaica has been at the forefront of breaking the proverbial class ceiling regarding female empowerment. International day of Women and Girls in Science is an opportunity to promote full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls. Gender equality is a global priority for the United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the support of young girls, their education and their full ability to make their ideas heard are levers for development and peace. According to the United Nations women are typically given smaller research grants than their male colleagues and, while they represent 33.3% of all researchers, only 12% of members of national science academies are women. Despite a shortage of skills in most of the technological fields driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, women still account for only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of graduates in computer science and informatics. Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the past decades, the global community has made a lot of effort in inspiring and engaging women and girls in science. Yet women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science. The 7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly will focus on the following topic: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us. STEM and Gender Advancement (SAGA) The STEM and Gender Advancement (SAGA) project is a global UNESCO project launched in 2015 to strengthen UNESCO’s work in support of gender equality in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). SAGA’s main objective is to offer governments and policymakers a variety of tools to help reduce the current global gender gap in STI fields existing at all levels of education and research. By reaching this objective, the SAGA project will contribute to increase the visibility, participation and recognition of women’s contributions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Science has no gender. Let us commit to end the gender disparity in #STEM. Let us continue to give support and celebrate women and girls in science. In the words of Mae Jemison, don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo #WomenInScience #WomenInSTEM #IDWGS2022 #SDG5 ©

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