WOMEN FOR SCIENCE

1. Women for Science: public policies for improving gender equity Alice Abreu Director of ICSU-LAC WOMEN FOR SCIENCE Round Table I. Gender and Public Policies in Education, Science and Technology. Improving gender equity Academia Mexicana de Ciencias 20-21 abril 2009

2. “The gender gap, especially in scientific professions, must be a concern of all societies. Ignoring this dimension is a major obstacle to women’s ability to participate in the Knowledge Society and is also depriving society of a significant portion of its intellectual force, a sure way to weaken national scientific capacity.” (Recommendations document, Roundtable ”The Fundamental Role of Science, Technology, Engineering, Innovation and Science Education” within the Framework of Discussion for the IV Summit of the Americas, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 5, 2005)

3. Women in Science and Technologythe international context – 1990s 1995 World Conference on Women – Beijin 1996 Gender Advisory Board UNCSTD 1998 Bariloche Meeting in preparation of WCS 1999 World Conference of Science – Budapest Thematic Meeting II.4 Gender Mainstreaming in Science and Technology TWOWS / GAB / UNESCO / ICSU

4. Traditional and new institutionalizations in Latin America TWOWS – Vice Presidents for Latin America GAB – National Committees in Peru and Brazil UNESCO - The L’OREAL UNESCO Women for Science Program - Catedra Regional UNESCO Mujer, Ciencia y Tecnología en América Latina - Regional research projects

5. Traditional and new institutionalizations... OAS – 1s Meeting of Ministers of S&T - 2004 Hemispheric Initiative - Recommendation for integrating the gender perspective in Science and Technology Programs and Policy in the Americas MUJER Y CIENCIA – Network of women scientists in Natural and Biological Sciences (2004 Brazil, 2006 Mexico, 2008 Bolivia)

6. International Reports UNESCO 2007 Science, Technology and Gender: An International Report

7. New actorsInter Academy Council Women for Science Inventing a better future

8. The nature of the problem(Geoff Oldham- GAB) • agreement on the basic facts about the nature of the gender dimension regarding science and technology and about possible solutions. • In many countries, especially in Africa, there are fewer girls than boys that have access to primary education, and of those children that do have access, fewer girls than boys learn about science. • In many countries fewer girls than boys study scientific and technological subjects in either secondary or tertiary education. • In many countries fewer women than men pursue scientific or technological careers, and far fewer reach the top professional, managerial or policy-making positions. • Development programmes frequently have not taken this gender dimension into account. • Not all countries have the same situation. • There is some statistical evidence to suggest that the situation is improving, especially with regard to the proportion of female students who study science and engineering in universities. But there is widespread agreement that country comparisons over time are hindered by the paucity of good gender disaggregated statistical data.

9. Reasons for the problem(Geoff Oldham- GAB) There is more divergence of opinion on the reasons for these facts. Some of the divergence is due to the different situations which exist in different countries and regions of the world. They include cultural differences which in some countries serve to discourage girls from studying science in schools or universities, and from pursuing scientific careers. Other reasons frequently advanced are discrimination, career interruptions due to childbirth and family responsibilities, gender stereotyping of science and technology, and the relative lack of women in policy and decision-making positions. It is also recognized that the full gender dimension of science and its impact on society was imperfectly understood and warrants further study and research.

10. Does it matter?(Geoff Oldham- GAB) • Human rights and social justice. All individuals should have equality of opportunity to a science education and to a scientific career, and for women and men to benefit equally from advances in science and technology. • Scientific and economic reasons. If women are not given equal opportunity to become scientists and engineers then a country denies itself its full complement of scientifically creative minds. This can be a serious handicap both to the development of science and to the generation of wealth in an increasingly competitive world. • Social reasons. Women frequently perform different roles and tasks both within and outside the home to those performed by men. It is important that both men and women are able to bring a scientific and technical education to bear on the performance of these roles and tasks. • Reasons of insight. Some women, it has been suggested, bring different insights, values, motivations and methods of work to their scientific jobs than do most men and other women. The inclusion of more women in science will enrich the total pool of talents, insights and motivations, and increase the probability that science will serve the needs of all humanity.

11. Transformative Action Areas: “feasible and necessary” in: MISSING LINKS • Gender equity in science and technology education. • Removing obstacles to women in scientific and technological careers. • Making science responsive to the needs of society. • Making the science and technology decision-making process more "gender aware“. • Relating better with local knowledge systems. • Addressing ethical issues in science and technology. • Improving the collection of gender disaggregated data for policy makers. • In 2006, Transformative Action Area 8 was added: • 8. Equal opportunity for entry and advancement into larger-scale science, technology, engineering, mathematics disciplines (STEM) and innovation systems.

12. OAS Ministerial Meeting 2004 Hemispheric Initiative “Recommendations for Integrating a Gender Perspective in Science and Technology Policies and Programs in the Americas” Gender and Science and Technology from an International Perspective. By Sophia Huyer Equidad de Género en Ciencia y Tecnología en América Latina: Bases y Proyecciones en la Construcción de Conocimientos, Agendas e Institucionalidades. Por Gloria Bonder

13. 1) Institutional strengthening: Key strategies for a new commitment with society • ensure that the gender perspective is integrated in the science and technology policies and programs of the Member States, supported by the appropriate budget allocation, • Strengthen the coordination between science and technology ministries and national councils of science and technology, and the OAS, CIM, GAB, UNESCO • Sensitize and train those charged with the formulation of science and technology policies and programs to integrate a gender perspective • Establish channels for systematic dialogue among science and technology researchers, specialists in gender studies, policy-and decision-makers, and pertinent social organizations, in order to plan actions, evaluate their execution, and promote the participation of representative civil society institutions related to science, technology, engineering and innovation in policy discussion.

14. 2) Creation, acquisition, utilization and dissemination of knowledge • In the 21st century, the creation, acquisition, utilization and dissemination of knowledge must have the full participation of women and men. In order to achieve this, we must fully integrate the gender perspective in science, technology, engineering and innovation and we must generate, gather and disseminate knowledge to support effective evidence-based policy and decision-making. • Organize existing knowledge to generate a data base which includes research projects, researchers, centers, and other information of interest that can serve as reference and orientation for future studies in this field. This action could be undertaken by the Office of Education, Science and Technology of the OAS, in coordination with national institutions responsible for science and technology in the region, the CIM and other pertinent multilateral organizations.

15. 2) Creation, acquisition, utilization and dissemination of knowledge • Support the efforts of RICYT and other pertinent initiatives and programs to develop gender indicators for the area of science and technology, ensuring that all statistics gathered are disaggregated by sex. • Undertake studies to address new topics and priority areas for gender in science and technology, among them: current status, at national level, of the participation of women in all of the branches, levels and specializations of science, technology, engineering and innovation; analysis of the everyday practices and institutional structures that reflect concrete behaviors related to gender inequality in opportunities, in institutional cultures, and in the academic community; • Widely disseminate, for the purpose of decision-making, the results of the research undertaken in the last two decades that links gender and science and technology.

16. 3) Education and training: Gender equity in access and quality. • The highest priority must be given to improving the quality of science and technology education at all levels, with particular attention to eliminating the effects of gender bias and promoting creativity and a critical point of view at all levels, especially at the earliest stages. In conjunction with the ministries of education and research institutions, including academia, we recommend to: • Develop initiatives to ensure equal opportunity for men and women to access scientific education at all levels, and in particular, to increase the participation of girls and women in scientific activities from early childhood; • Renovate curricula, teaching materials, and train teachers to integrate the gender perspective at all levels, in order to provide high quality scientific and technological education; • Create public awareness programs on the importance of science and technology, including initiatives to encourage parents to provide their children with early stimuli during the first three years of childhood.

17. 4) Towards a gender-equitable S&T workforce • While the numbers of women and girls enrolled in science and technology subjects is increasing, the low translation of women’s scientific training to the recruitment, retention and advancement of women into the active science and technology workforce represents a loss of investment in science and technology education as well as the loss of national scientific capacity. • Collect sex-disaggregated data on women’s participation in the science and technology workforce, including by discipline, sector, salary and level, as well as longitudinal data. • Initiate employment and performance assessment policies which address women’s life responsibilities, sexual harassment, and career development. • Recommend action policy to support women’s increased representation in research teams and in governing bodies of science and technology. • Implement policies and programs to support women’s re-entry into the workforce through bridging, retraining and updating programs. • Implement programs, awards and fellowships to recognize and promote women’s achievements in science and technology, including at the international level.

18. 5) Science and technology for economic and social development: we cannot afford not to maximize the use of human capacity. • National and regional policies that recognize the relation of gender to social development and science and technology must be developed and implemented in conjunction with the ministries of social development, labor, and other pertinent ministries, and national gender institutions. • • Develop and implement policies and programs to support the advancement of women in micro, small and medium enterprises and facilitate their access to scientific knowledge, technology, credit and other resources. • • Promote knowledge and application of science and technology that addresses the needs of women and men in situations of poverty, taking into account the gendered nature of indigenous knowledge. • • Encourage public officials and governments to be more explicit in their policy platforms about how they intend to use "science and technology" to meet the basic needs of both men and women equitably in society.

19. 6) Building the knowledge society through gender equity and equality: the new technology should not reproduce old inequalities. • Women and men should be equal partners in the design and production of the knowledge society and should have equal access to its use and benefits. • Reduce gender barriers to Information Technology and Communications (ITC) education and training, and promote equal training opportunities in ITC-related fields for women and girls. Early intervention programs in science and technology should pay particular attention to young girls with the aim of increasing the number of women in ITC careers. • In collaboration with stakeholders, formulate conducive ITC policies that foster entrepreneurship, innovation and investment, with particular emphasis on the promotion of participation by women. • Develop gender-specific indicators on ITC use and needs, as well as measurable performance indicators to assess the impact of ITC projects on the lives of women and girls.

20. 7) The way forward: Promoting awareness • There is now considerable knowledge and understanding about the critical importance of including the gender dimension in all considerations of how science and technology contribute to sustainable development. This includes issues of education and training, employment opportunities, career development, and the impact of technological change on the lives of both women and men. • However this knowledge is not widely known among policy-makers, the scientific community, development authorities or the general public in both developed and developing countries. Consequently, there is a need for a campaign to promote much greater awareness of the gender dimension in all aspects of science, technology and development. This campaign would identify the problems of ignoring the gender dimension and suggest ways for overcoming them. A) Further research on gender, science and development There are other issues where more knowledge is required before policy actions can be recommended. It is therefore important that policy research is conducted on these issues, in order to provide the evidence and knowledge on which future policies can be based. B) Monitoring To monitor implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy, COMCYT and CIM should work together through the follow-up process

21. GAB BRASIL Agreement between GAB and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences First Meeting on October 31st 2006

22. MEMBERS • Alice Rangel de Paiva ABREU (Chair) - ICSU-LAC • Jussara Marques de ALMEIDA – UFMG (Computer Science) • Marcia Cristina Bernardes BARBOSA – UFRGS (Physics) • Eva Alterman BLAY – USP (Sociology and Gender Studies) • Sandra Negraes BRISOLLA – UNICAMP (Economy) • Yvonne Primerano MASCARENHAS – USP/ABC (Chemistry/Physics)

23. MEMBERS • Lúcia Carvalho Pinto de MELO – CGEE (Engineering) • Magaly Peres PAZELLO – PAGIC (NGO) • Lucia Mendonça PREVIATO – UFRJ/ABC (Microbiology) • Elisa Maria da Conceição Pereira REIS – UFRJ/ABC (Sociology) • Elisa Maria Baggio SAITOVITCH – CBPF (Physics) • Angela ULLER – UFRJ (Engineering) • Mayana ZATZ – USP/ABC (Biological Sciences) .

24. Objective I. Activities related to improving gender equity in science and technology education Objective II. Activities related to improving the collection of gender disaggregated data for policy makers

25. Objective III. Making science and technology decision-making more gender aware Activity 3. Strengthen the decision making process in public policies in Science and Technology aiming at increasing the participation of women.

26. Analysis of the historical tendencies to have a dynamic vision of the insertion of women in the different phases of education, training and labour force in the different S&T careers. • Stimulate the formulation of specific targets for the inclusion of women in the public system of support for S&T and monitoring the attainment of these targets • Formulation and implementation of awareness campaigns through media, scientific association, and educational organization, to disseminate values related to gender equity in S&T and its importance to sustainable development. Output: To increase in three years the number of women participating in high level decision making committees and boards.

27. Activity 4. Develop a series of activities to make advocacy within the Congress to increase awareness of issues related to gender, science and technology. • Establish a relationship with the Multisector Commission of Science and Technology, to increase awareness of issues related to gender, science and technology. • Promote campaigns related to specific issues relevant GS&T. Output: To increase awareness of gender issues related to science and technology among congressmen. To increase the number of issues related to gender science and technology in the agenda of discussions in the Brazilian Congress.

28. Objective 4 - Removing the obstacles to women in scientific and technological careers Activity 5. To increase the visibility of women in science by creating role models, establishing a network between young scientists and mentors, increasing the visibility of women scientists and changing the image the general public has of a women scientist. .

29. Create a folder Women in Science in Brazil with a small biography and achievements of selected Brazilian female scientists. • Winter School in Science. Conduct once a year a two weeks course, in July (winter school), in one topic of science, in collaboration with the Brazilian Academy of Science. The course will receive the name of a woman scientist and the classes will be given only by women scientists selected by the organizers. Students, however, will be of both sexes (50% each); a total of 30 students selected from the high level graduate programs in the selected area.

30. Career Training Workshop. Conduct women-only career development training. Develop a one day workshop on career training that could be offered during the large congresses and meetings of the different scientific disciplines or in different research centers and universities’ departments and graduate programs. • Prize for Women in Science. The Brazilian Academy of Science will give, once a year, a prize for the Female Scientist of the Year. The prize of U$ 20 000.00 will be initially supported by GAB-Brazil. After 2010 other funds will have to be found. The prize will be under the name of a female Brazilian scientist.

31. Promote an award for educational digital materials in S&T with a gender perspective. Promote a public award of digital educational material linked to S&T that promotes a equitable vision of women and men and does not reinforce stereotypes. To stimulate and promote the creation of Brazilian digital material of S&T content with a gender equity perspective. Outputs: Change the way women scientists if portrayed by the media. Decrease the number of drop outs at the beginning of the scientific careers. Increase the presence of women in top positions in S&T system. Increase visibility for senior productive women scientists in Brazil. Increase the availability of good quality digital material in Portuguese of S&T content with a gender equity perspective.

32. Activity 6 . Increase the presence and participation of women in the national innovation system. • Include the gender dimension of different data bases and programs related to the innovation system: To propose the inclusion of the variable sex in the questionnaire and for sex disaggregated results to be made available by the the IBGE in the Industrial Research of Technological Innovation – PINTEC, that, since 2001, gathers information on different aspects of the innovation process in the Brazilian industrial enterprises.

33. Influencing Decision Makers to Redress Gender Inequalities in Science 2009 Pilot Project in Brazil Supported by CNPq

34. Influencing Decision Makers to Redress Gender Inequalities in Science • Analysis of Brazilian science and technology data bases from a gender perspective. • Study of the UNESCO Oreal Scholarship program of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences

35. Brazil – Institutions, research groups, researchers and PhDs at the Directory of Research Groups of CNPq - 1993/2006

36. Distribution of Researchers by sex - 1993-2006

42. Thank you! www.icsu-lac.org alice.abreu@icsu-lac.org secretariat@icsu-lac.org