Regional trends as of 2013 Women in science

1 regional trends of 2013

1.1 latin america , caribbean
1.2 eastern europe, west , central asia
1.3 southeast europe
1.4 european union
1.5 australia, new zealand , usa
1.6 south asia
1.7 southeast asia
1.8 arab states
1.9 sub-saharan africa

regional trends of 2013

the global figures mask wide disparities 1 region another. in southeast europe, instance, women researchers have obtained parity and, @ 44%, on verge of doing in central asia , latin america , caribbean. in european union, on other hand, 1 in 3 (33%) researchers woman, compared 37% in arab world. women better represented in sub-saharan africa (30%) in south asia (17%).

there wide intraregional disparities. women make 52% of researchers in philippines , thailand, instance, , close parity in malaysia , viet nam, yet 1 in 3 researchers woman in indonesia , singapore. in japan , republic of korea, 2 countries characterized high researcher densities , technological sophistication, few 15% , 18% of researchers respectively women. these lowest ratios among members of organisation economic co-operation , development. republic of korea has widest gap among oecd members in remuneration between men , women researchers (39%). there yawning gap in japan (29%).

latin america , caribbean

latin america has of world’s highest rates of women studying scientific fields; shares caribbean 1 of highest proportions of female researchers: 44%. of 12 countries reporting data years 2010–2013, 7 have achieved gender parity, or dominate research: bolivia (63%), venezuela (56%), argentina (53%), paraguay (52%), uruguay (49%), brazil (48%) , guatemala (45%). costa rica on cusp (43%). chile has lowest score among countries there recent data (31%). caribbean paints similar picture, cuba having achieved gender parity (47%) , trinidad , tobago on 44%. recent data on women s participation in industrial research available countries developed national innovation systems, exception of brazil , cuba: uruguay (47%), argentina (29%), colombia , chile (26%).

as in other regions, great majority of health graduates women (60–85%). women represented in science. more 40% of science graduates women in each of argentina, colombia, ecuador, el salvador, mexico, panama , uruguay. caribbean paints similar picture, women graduates in science being on par men or dominating field in barbados, cuba, dominican republic , trinidad , tobago.

in engineering, women make on 30% of graduate population in 7 latin american countries (argentina, colombia, costa rica, honduras, panama , uruguay) , 1 caribbean country, dominican republic. there has been decrease in number of women engineering graduates in argentina, chile , honduras.

the participation of women in science has consistently dropped since turn of century. trend has been observed in sectors of larger economies: argentina, brazil, chile , colombia. mexico notable exception, having recorded slight increase. of decrease may attributed women transferring agricultural sciences in these countries. negative trend drop in female doctoral students , in labour force. of countries reporting data, majority signal significant drop of 10–20 percentage points in transition master’s doctoral graduates.

eastern europe, west , central asia

most countries in eastern europe, west , central asia have attained gender parity in research (armenia, azerbaijan, georgia, kazakhstan, mongolia , ukraine) or on brink of doing (kyrgyzstan , uzbekistan). trend reflected in tertiary education, exceptions in engineering , computer science. although belarus , russian federation have seen drop on past decade, women still represented 41% of researchers in 2013. in former soviet states, women present in business enterprise sector: bosnia , herzegovina (59%), azerbaijan (57%), kazakhstan (50%), mongolia (48%), latvia (48%), serbia (46%), croatia , bulgaria (43%), ukraine , uzbekistan (40%), romania , montenegro (38%), belarus (37%), russian federation (37%).

one in 3 researchers woman in turkey (36%) , tajikistan (34%). participation rates lower in iran (26%) , israel (21%), although israeli women represent 28% of senior academic staff. @ university, israeli women dominate medical sciences (63%) minority study engineering (14%), physical sciences (11%), mathematics , computer science (10%). there has been interesting evolution in iran. whereas share of female phd graduates in health remained stable @ 38–39% between 2007 , 2012, rose in 3 other broad fields. spectacular leap in female phd graduates in agricultural sciences 4% 33% there marked progression in science (from 28% 39%) , engineering (from 8% 16%).

southeast europe

with exception of greece, countries of southeast europe once part of soviet bloc. 49% of researchers in these countries women (compared 37% in greece in 2011). high proportion considered legacy of consistent investment in education socialist governments in place until 1990s, including of former yugoslavia. moreover, participation of female researchers holding steady or increasing in of region, representation broadly across 4 sectors of government, business, higher education , non-profit. in countries, women tend on par men among tertiary graduates in science. between 70% , 85% of graduates women in health, less 40% in agriculture , between 20% , 30% in engineering. albania has seen considerable increase in share of women graduates in engineering , agriculture.

european union

women make 33% of researchers overall in european union (eu), more representation in science (32%). women constitute 40% of researchers in higher education, 40% in government , 19% in private sector, number of female researchers increasing faster of male researchers. proportion of female researchers has been increasing on last decade, @ faster rate men (5.1% annually on 2002–2009 compared 3.3% men), true participation among scientists , engineers (up 5.4% annually between 2002 , 2010, compared 3.1% men).

despite these gains, women’s academic careers in europe remain characterized strong vertical , horizontal segregation. in 2010, although female students (55%) , graduates (59%) outnumbered male students, men outnumbered women @ phd , graduate levels (albeit small margin). further along in research career, women represented 44% of grade c academic staff, 37% of grade b academic staff , 20% of grade academic staff.11 these trends intensified in science, women making 31% of student population @ tertiary level 38% of phd students , 35% of phd graduates. @ faculty level, make 32% of academic grade c personnel, 23% of grade b , 11% of grade a. proportion of women among full professors lowest in engineering , technology, @ 7.9%. respect representation in science decision-making, in 2010 15.5% of higher education institutions headed women , 10% of universities had female rector.

membership on science boards remained predominantly male well, women making 36% of board members. eu has engaged in major effort integrate female researchers , gender research research , innovation strategy since mid-2000s. increases in women’s representation in of scientific fields overall indicates effort has met success; however, continued lack of representation of women @ top level of faculties, management , science decision making indicate more work needs done. eu addressing through gender equality strategy , crosscutting mandate in horizon 2020, research , innovation funding programme 2014–2020.

australia, new zealand , usa

in 2013, women made majority of phd graduates in fields related health in australia (63%), new zealand (58%) , united states of america (73%). same can said of agriculture, in new zealand s case (73%). women have achieved parity in agriculture in australia (50%) , united states (44%). 1 in 5 women graduate in engineering in latter 2 countries, situation has not changed on past decade. in new zealand, women jumped constituting 39% 70% of agricultural graduates (all levels) between 2000 , 2012 ceded ground in science (43–39%), engineering (33–27%) , health (80–78%). canada, has not reported sex-disaggregated data women graduates in science , engineering in recent years. moreover, none of 4 countries mentioned here have reported recent data on share of female researchers.

south asia

south asia region women make smallest proportion of researchers: 17%. 13 percentage points below sub-saharan africa. of countries in south asia reporting data 2009–2013, nepal has lowest representation of (in head counts), @ 8% (2010), substantial drop 15% in 2002. in 2013, 14% of researchers (in full-time equivalents) women in region’s populous country, india, down 15% in 2009. percentage of female researchers highest in sri lanka (39%), followed pakistan: 24% in 2009, 31% in 2013. there no recent data available afghanistan or bangladesh.

share of women among researchers employed in business enterprise sector, 2013 or closest year. source: unesco science report: towards 2030, figure 3.4, data unesco institute statistics

women present in private non-profit sector – make 60% of employees in sri lanka – followed academic sector: 30% of pakistani , 42% of sri lankan female researchers. women tend less present in government sector , least employed in business sector, accounting 23% of employees in sri lanka, 11% in india , 5% in nepal. women have achieved parity in science in both sri lanka , bangladesh less undertake research in engineering. represent 17% of research pool in bangladesh , 29% in sri lanka. many sri lankan women have followed global trend of opting career in agricultural sciences (54%) , have achieved parity in health , welfare. in bangladesh, on 30% choose agricultural sciences , health, goes against global trend. although bangladesh still has progress make, share of women in each scientific field has increased steadily on past decade.

southeast asia

southeast asia presents different picture entirely, women on par men in countries: make 52% of researchers in philippines , thailand, example. other countries close parity, such malaysia , viet nam, whereas indonesia , singapore still around 30% mark. cambodia trails neighbours @ 20%. female researchers in region spread equally across sectors of participation, exception of private sector, make 30% or less of researchers in countries.

the proportion of women tertiary graduates reflects these trends, high percentages of women in science in brunei darussalam, malaysia, myanmar , philippines (around 60%) , low of 10% in cambodia. women make majority of graduates in health sciences, 60% in laos 81% in myanmar – viet nam being exception @ 42%. women graduates on par men in agriculture less present in engineering: viet nam (31%), philippines (30%) , malaysia (39%); here, exception myanmar, @ 65%. in republic of korea, women make 40% of graduates in science , agriculture , 71% of graduates in health sciences 18% of female researchers overall. represents loss in investment made in educating girls , women through tertiary education, result of traditionalviews of women’s role in society , in home. kim , moon (2011) remark on tendency of korean women withdraw labour force take care of children , assume family responsibilities, calling ‘domestic brain drain’.

women remain minority in japanese science (15% in 2013), although situation has improved (13% in 2008) since government fixed target in 2006 of raising ratio of female researchers 25%. calculated on basis of current number of doctoral students, government hopes obtain 20% share of women in science, 15% in engineering , 30% in agriculture , health end of current basic plan science , technology in 2016. in 2013, japanese female researchers common in public sector in health , agriculture, represented 29% of academics , 20% of government researchers. in business sector, 8% of researchers women (in head counts), compared 25% in academic sector. in other public research institutions, women accounted 16% of researchers. 1 of main thrusts of abenomics, japan’s current growth strategy, enhance socio-economic role of women. consequently, selection criteria large university grants take account proportion of women among teaching staff , researchers.

the low ratio of women researchers in japan , republic of korea, both have of highest researcher densities in world, brings down southeast asia s average 22.5% share of women among researchers in region.

arab states

at 37%, share of female researchers in arab states compares other regions. countries highest proportion of female researchers bahrain , sudan @ around 40%. jordan, libya, oman, palestine , qatar have percentage shares in low twenties. country lowest participation of female researchers saudi arabia, though make majority of tertiary graduates, figure of 1.4% covers king abdulaziz city science , technology. female researchers in region employed in government research institutes, countries seeing high participation of women in private nonprofit organizations , universities. exception of sudan (40%) , palestine (35%), fewer 1 in 4 researchers in business enterprise sector woman; half of countries reporting data, there barely women @ employed in sector.

despite these variable numbers, percentage of female tertiary-level graduates in science , engineering high across region, indicates there substantial drop between graduation , employment , research. women make half or more half of science graduates in sudan , on 45% in agriculture in 8 out of 15 countries reporting data, namely algeria, egypt, jordan, lebanon, sudan, syria, tunisia , united arab emirates. in engineering, women make on 70% of graduates in oman, rates of 25–38% in majority of other countries, high in comparison other regions.

the participation of women lower in health in other regions, possibly on account of cultural norms restricting interactions between males , females. iraq , oman have lowest percentages (mid-30s), whereas iran, jordan, kuwait, palestine , saudi arabia @ gender parity in field. united arab emirates , bahrain have highest rates of all: 83% , 84%.

once arab women scientists , engineers graduate, may come against barriers finding gainful employment. these include misalignment between university programmes , labour market demand – phenomenon affects men –, lack of awareness career in chosen field entails, family bias against working in mixed-gender environments , lack of female role models.

one of countries smallest female labour force developing technical , vocational education girls part of wider scheme reduce dependence on foreign labour. 2017, technical , vocational training corporation of saudi arabia have constructed 50 technical colleges, 50 girls’ higher technical institutes , 180 industrial secondary institutes. plan create training placements 500 000 students, half of them girls. boys , girls trained in vocational professions include information technology, medical equipment handling, plumbing, electricity , mechanics.

sub-saharan africa

just under 1 in 3 (30%) researchers in sub-saharan africa woman. of sub-saharan africa seeing solid gains in share of women among tertiary graduates in scientific fields. in 2 of top 4 countries women’s representation in science, women graduates part of small cohorts, however: make 54% of lesotho’s 47 tertiary graduates in science , 60% of in namibia’s graduating class of 149. south africa , zimbabwe, have larger graduate populations in science, have achieved parity, 49% , 47% respectively. next grouping clusters 7 countries poised @ around 35–40% (angola, burundi, eritrea, liberia, madagascar, mozambique , rwanda). rest grouped around 30% or below (benin, ethiopia, ghana, swaziland , uganda). burkina faso ranks lowest, women making 18% of science graduates.

female representation in engineering high in sub-saharan africa in comparison other regions. in mozambique , south africa, instance, women make more 34% , 28% of engineering graduates, respectively. numbers of female graduates in agricultural science have been increasing steadily across continent, 8 countries reporting share of women graduates of 40% or more (lesotho, madagascar, mozambique, namibia, sierra leone, south africa, swaziland , zimbabwe). in health, rate ranges 26% , 27% in benin , eritrea 94% in namibia.

of note women account relatively high proportion of researchers employed in business enterprise sector in south africa (35%), kenya (34%), botswana , namibia (33%) , zambia (31%). female participation in industrial research lower in uganda (21%), ethiopia (15%) , mali (12%).