Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/990836
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 JUNE 2018 11 OPINION www.creditinfo.com.mt info@creditinfo.com.mt Tel: 2131 2344 Your Local Partner for Credit Risk Management Solutions Supporting you all the way Women and girls in science EQUALITY and parity in sci- ence are vital to strengthen peace and development. This was recognised by the United Nations during the Interna- tional Day of Girls and Wom- en in Science last February in New York in partnership with the Government of Malta. Over the past years, inter- national bodies such as the UN and the EU have realised that despite the advances that have been made in sci- ence throughout the years, there is, nonetheless, a gen- der gap in science. In fact, the advancement of women and girls in science has not only stalled, but is sliding back- wards. Women face considerable challenges in paving their way in the spheres of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), in par- ticular through the stereo- types they face which begin from an early age, leading to girls and boys to follow tradi- tional roles. Indeed, the 2015 Pro- gramme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study demonstrates that, from the young age of 15, boys are more than twice as likely as girls to aspire for a career as an engineer, scien- tist or architect by the time they are 30; more than five times more likely than girls to aspire for a career as software developer or applications programmer and almost four times as likely as girls to as- pire for a career as an electri- cal or communication engi- neering technician. This is not a recent develop- ment. In fact, there is a lack of female role models in the STEM fields, that also act as an impediment for aspiring STEM professionals. Throughout compulsory education students mostly learn about the achievements of famous male scientists, such as Pythagoras, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Dar- win, Isaac Newton and Ein- stein. On the other hand, the great contributions of Mary An- ning, Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin and so many other lesser-known female scien- tists are not given the right and necessary importance and visibility. So much so that, upon ob- taining a doctorate in en- gineering in 2015, Marija Cauchi stated in her gradua- tion speech that "As a Gozi- tan female engineer with seemingly all the odds against me to break through the glass ceiling, I hope I will serve as a role model to show that you should never let anyone di- minish your dreams". It should be common place that female engineers gradu- ate and work in these fields. However, as Atefah Riazi, Assistant Secretary-General and chief Information Tech- nology Officer of the UN Of- fice of Information and Com- munications Technology, stated that men dominate the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. In- deed, gender segregation in education is also evident at the University of Malta and MCAST. While 59% of the overall graduates were female in the year 2016-2017 at the Univer- sity of Malta, only 9.7% out of all graduates were STEM fe- male graduates. This is being said in a con- text where Malta had the highest percentage of ICT graduates in the EU in 2015, yet also the highest gender gap with 15.4% male gradu- ates and only 2.8% female graduates. This gender gap is then re- flected in the labour force. In Malta, women are under- represented as scientists and engineers, as well as in the sector on 'information and communication'. This is also due to the dif- ficulties that women experi- ence in reconciling career and private life. Women still carry disproportionate re- sponsibilities with regard to caring and household duties. Moreover, women are still expected to work in an envi- ronment designed for men. In effect, although 85.5% of women aged 25-29 years are in employment, such partici- pation gradually decreases from age 30 onwards due to the ensuing, increasing fam- ily responsibilities. In order to address this gen- der gap in employment, the government is committed to further enhancing digital literacy by providing train- ing to the workforce, raising awareness and strengthen- ing infrastructure through the National Digital Strategy 2014-2019. Digital literacy is also ad- dressed in education via the National Literacy Strategy for all in Malta and Gozo 2014- 2019. In addition, the Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Malta and the Microsoft Innovation Centre have started to provide train- ing in this area. To support these initia- tives, the government is also continuously working to strengthen family friendly measures. The free child care for all working parents or those un- dertaking full-time studies, the Breakfast Club and the maternity leave fund, among others, encourage women to re/enter the labour market. Moreover, in partnering with the UN, Malta was also the first country to commemo- rate International Day of Girls and Women in Science. In addition, the National Commission for the Pro- motion of Equality (NCPE) provides training to vari- ous stakeholders on gender equality in STEM. Furthermore, a set of initia- tives have also been under- taken to combat gender ste- reotypes through a number of educational activities for stu- dents with the aim of encour- aging girls and boys to make their own choices according to their individual aspirations and abilities. To ensure equal opportuni- ties for all members of soci- ety, NCPE is empowered to investigate complaints of al- leged discrimination on the grounds of sex/gender and family responsibilities, sexual orientation and gender iden- tity in employment, educa- tion and vocational training as well as by banks and finan- cial institutions and provides the necessary assistance and information in the compila- tion of a complaint. The digital gender divide can be brought to an end through the empowerment of young girls in the class- room and young women at the workplace where they are given the same platform as boys and men to be able to reach their aspirations. NCPE can be contacted on 25903850 or equality@gov. mt Renee Laiviera is NCPE Commissioner Renee Laiviera Women face considerable challenges in paving their way in the spheres of science, technolog y, engineering and mathematics The digital gender divide can be brought to an end through the empowerment of young girls in the classroom and young women at the workplace today