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Although more and more women have access to higher education, this does not mean that the gender gap between men and women has been eliminated. According to the UNESCO report, Cracking the code: girls’ and women’s education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), only 35% of STEM students are women. And of those, 3% are in careers in information and communication technologies, another 5% in mathematics and statistics, and 8% in manufacturing and construction.
UNESCO also found that women abandon their professions at much higher rates than men, even after graduating and finding work. This represents a waste of social investment and the effort in their studies, reflecting the structural problems in involving and retaining women in STEM professions. Besides, this means a loss of distinct perspectives in design, coding, innovations, and development in these professional areas.
Part of the problem has to do with perspective, as UNESCO explains: The world is designed by and for men. Essential things for everyday use, like seat belts, do not consider the size of women. Or in heavily used sources today, such as Wikipedia, only 17% of the editors are women. These are only a couple of examples of the lack of perspective in the STEM areas.
Why do girls and women need to be interested in STEM areas?
For many years, STEM careers have been stereotyped as mostly male professions because men have been deemed better in science and mathematics. This type of prejudice affects the aspirations of girls and women, who believe they are “bad” in STEM subjects. This belief impacts their sense of self-reliance and belonging, affecting their interests and aspirations.
To achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls and achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the UN proclaimed February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Part of the importance of this day is its mission to end stereotypes and show that women are just as capable as men in science and technology. The more women there are in these areas, the more the new generations of girls will feel that they belong and will be more motivated to study and pursue careers in science and technology. If girls engage themselves in activities and topics in these areas from an early age, just like boys, they are more likely to break stereotypes and have confidence that they can excel in STEM areas.
“To rise to the challenges of the 21st century, we need to harness our full potential. That requires dismantling gender stereotypes. On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, let’s pledge to end the gender imbalance in science.”
– UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Another reason why it is necessary to break with these stereotypes is that women should feel comfortable in professions that have commonly been dominated by men, such as in the area of systems engineering. In companies like Google, for example, only 31.6 % of their employees are women. With the world constantly changing and innovating, it is necessary to reaffirm girls that they can become experts in the STEM areas and have the opportunity to work in these types of companies. Also, having more women in the workforce will help more girls discover female role models, inspiring them to achieve as they have done.
Because STEM careers involve developing critical, logical, creative, and analytical thinking to solve problems, teaching girls to establish themselves in those areas will help them improve their conflict resolution skills. In addition to that, they will acquire critical skills to gather information, address problems from different perspectives.
With more women in STEM fields, there is an increase in diverse perspectives, which can result in more and better solutions and a better future for everyone. In addition, because the world is increasingly innovating and seeking to meet the needs of the market, women are needed to develop new products for them.
We need a new narrative that tells positive stories about women who are working in STEM fields to provide role models for girls to follow. That is why the International Day of Women and Girls in Science is so important because it makes the gender gap visible in the STEM areas and invites more and more women to become interested in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics professions.
As the UNESCO study demonstrated, only 35% of students in STEM fields are women. And according to the National Collaborative Girls Project, women occupy only 28% of the labor force in STEM. Getting girls involved from childhood in these areas and encouraging their interest in the sciences will not only teach them essential skills needed for their professional success but also this will prepare them for life.
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This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 
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