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Choosing one's path in life should not be limited by prejudice or hindered by a less than supportive environment to thrive. Girls and boys should be supported to develop their talents to the fullest and without the constraints often imposed by gender stereotypes. However, women are significantly less likely to enroll in many of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, with the exception of life sciences.
In fact, women still account for only 28 per cent of engineering graduates and 40 per cent of graduates in computer science, and in fields such as artificial intelligence only 1 in 5 professionals is female. This seems counterintuitive as girls do as well or better than boys on science and math in standardized tests such as PISA or TIMMS, which is why it is relevant to identify and address the main factors that deter girls and women from pursuing careers in science. With the rapidly growing global digital economy, it is imperative that deliberate policies are put in place to ensure opportunities for both girls and boys. - blog.wb.org/blogs
A version of this article appears in the print on February 15, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
