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Challenges of Women in Science: Bangladesh PerspectivesBangladesh Perspectives
Professor Shamima K ChoudhuryDepartment of Physics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka‐1000, Bangladesh
AndDirector, Bose Centre for Advanced Study and Research in Natural Sciences
BangladeshBangladesh
• 147 570 km2 (56 977 sq mi )147,570 km (56,977 sq mi )
• Dense population (160 million)
l h lf• Women‐ nearly half
• HDI – 0.515• Adult literacy rate – nearly 50%
Bangladesh’s human development indexBangladesh s human development index
HDI rank Life Adult Combined GDP perHDI rank( value)
Life expectancy
at birth
Adult literacy
rate
Combined gross
enrolment
GDP per capita
(PPP US$)at birth(years)
rate(% ages 15 and above)
enrolment ratio(%)
(PPP US$)
and above) (%)146.
(0 515)
120.
(68 9)
135.
(53 5)
154.
(52 1)
155.
(1 241)(0.515) (68.9) (53.5) (52.1) (1,241)
Education: Adult Literacy by Gender, 1991‐2008
Year Both Sexes Male Female1991 37.2 43.3 25.81995 45.3 55.6 38.11999 52 7 60 7 42 81999 52.7 60.7 42.82003 50.3 56.3 44. 22004 51.6 57.2 45.82005 53.5 58.3 48.62006 53.7 58.5 48.82007 58 3 63 1 53 52007 58.3 63.1 53.52008 59.1 63.4 54.7Target-2015 100 100 100
Net Enrolment Rate in Primary Education by GenderEducation by Gender
Year Girls Boys
2002 85 6 85 42002 85.6 85.42003 82.6 81.4
2004 86.4 85.1
2005 90.1 84.6
2006 94.5 87.6
2007 94.7 87.8
Bangladesh Literacy Survey, 2010Indicator Both gender (%) Male (%) Female (%)
Class I‐V 29 56 29 80 28 30Class I V 29.56 29.80 28.30
Class VI‐VIII 13.29 12.96 13.63
Class IX X 8 05 7 97 8 12Class IX‐X 8.05 7.97 8.12
SSC/equiv 5.21 5.86 4.54
HSC/equiv 3 08 3 81 2 34HSC/equiv 3.08 3.81 2.34
Degree/equiv 1.55 2.17 0.92
M t ' / i 0 85 1 24 0 45Master's/equiv 0.85 1.24 0.45
Engineering/Medical 0.11 0.17 0.05
Technical/vocational 0.08 0.12 0.04
Others 0.01 0.02 0.01
Academic ladderAcademic ladder
High school to highest academic positions,High school to highest academic positions,
the representation of women –
d li b t ti lldeclines substantially
Percentage of women in academic ladderPercentage of women in academic ladder
STAGE STUDENTS TEACHERS
SSC 45 25
HSC 40 22
UNIVERSITY 23 15UNIVERSITY 23 15
Women in scienceWomen in science
In the transition to Number of Female Students appearing in HSCIn the transition to graduate school‐more women than men with 160000
180000
science and engineering degrees opt into other fi ld f t d
100000
120000
140000
Science
fields of study
60000
80000 Hum
Business
0
20000
40000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Enrolment in science education….Enrolment in science education….
Percentage of students in Science in blPublic Universities
Status of Women in UniversityStatus of Women in University
• The gender distribution in teaching staff and the student’s l h l d l f lenrolment shows an alarming disparity in male versus female
ratio.
• In these institutions of higher education, number of female teachers account for less than 20% of the male teachers.
• The female teachers have to face tougher competition compared to male counterparts for getting jobs in educational institutions though performance wise they show better
i li i f d l i i h hpotentiality in terms of acceptance and popularity with the students.
• Number of female students in both the public and private universities is nearly 30% of the male counterpart.
Enrolment in Universities by management d dand gender
100000
120000
140000
60000
80000
100000
MaleFemale
20000
40000
60000
0
Pub
lic
Priv
ate
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ate
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lic
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ate
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lic
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ate
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lic
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ate
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lic
Priv
ate
P P P P P P P P P P P P
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
University Teachers by management and dgender
5000
6000
7000
3000
4000
5000
MaleFemale
1000
2000
0
Pub
lic
Priv
ate
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ate
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lic
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ate
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ate
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ate
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
100 % f bli f l d
Percentage of Percentage of female students female students in different types of educational institutes, 2011in different types of educational institutes, 2011
40
60
80
100 % of public female student% of private female student
0
20
40
Primary Ed i
School Ed i
College Ed i
ProfessionalMadrasahEd i
TeacherEd ti
Technicali l
UniversityEducation Education Education Education Education -vocational
Percentage of Percentage of female teachers female teachers in different types of educational institutes, 2011in different types of educational institutes, 2011
60
80
100% of public female teacher
% of private female teacher
20
40
60
0Primary Education
MadrasahEducation
School Education
College Education
Professional TeacherEducation
Technical-vocational
University
Percentage of female teachers and female enrolment in different types of Percentage of female teachers and female enrolment in different types of University, 2011University, 2011y,y,
100
Female Teacher Enrolment
60
80
20
40
0
Public University Private University
Gender equality ‐ Present scenarioGender equality Present scenario
• Women in Bangladesh very often face discrimination in career in every field of Science and Engineering.
• A study was undertaken to see the barriers limiting theA study was undertaken to see the barriers limiting the appointment, retention, and advancement of women faculty in the Universities, Administration and other Academic InstitutionsAcademic Institutions.
.
Dhaka University student by Gender in i f lscience faculty
80
60
70
40
50Male
30
40Female
10
20
02005 2006 2007 2008 2009
DU Student by Gender in f lBio‐science faculty
60
50
30
40
Male
10
20Female
0
10
2005 2006 2007 2008 20092005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Status of faculty in UniversityStatus of faculty in University
• The percentage of women teachers, Professors andThe percentage of women teachers, Professors and Ph.Ds in the faculty of science and bioscience of Dhaka University are shown.
• Similar data are shown also for Bangladesh gUniversity of Engg. And Technology(BUET) and that for Jahangir Nagar University.
• It is obvious from all the data presented in these figures that the percentage of female teachers are significantly less then that of male teachers.
Gender‐Dhaka University Faculty ( )(2010)
90100
607080
20304050
Female
01020
e c c cy c e c c cy c e c c cy c e c c cy c
Sci
enc
Eng
g. S
Ear
th S
Pha
rma c
Bio
sS
cien
cE
ngg.
SE
arth
SP
harm
a cB
io s
Sci
enc
Eng
g. S
Ear
th S
Pha
rma c
Bio
sS
cien
cE
ngg.
SE
arth
SP
harm
a cB
io s
Professor Assoc Prof Asstt. Prof. Lecturer
Women faculty in Science and Bioscience of Dhaka U i itUniversity
Gender‐ BUET studentsGender BUET students
90
100
70
80
90
50
60
70
Girls
30
40 Boys
0
10
20
02000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Gender ‐BUET FacultyGender BUET Faculty100
70
80
90
50
60
70
Women Faculty
20
30
40Men Faculty
0
10
20
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 20072000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Percentage of women among h d f fPh.D. and Professors of BUET
Percentage of women among h d f fPh.D. and Professors of JNU
Status – Developed countryStatus Developed country
According to the Scientific American womenAccording to the Scientific American, women represented only 27 percent of those employed in science and engineering in theemployed in science and engineering in the USA.
More specifically women made up only 17More specifically, women made up only 17 percent of professionals in the Engineering and Science Faculty at Rice University lastand Science Faculty at Rice University last year.
Women in science in a developed countryWomen in science in a developed country
Women in professional sectorWomen in professional sector
90100
50607080
Teaching
20304050
Enrollment
010
Medical Dental Nursing
Women in Civil Administration
120
80
100
60
80
Men
20
40 Women
0Secre 2008
Ad Sec 2008
Jt Se 2008
Dep Sec 2008
Sr Astt 2008
Astt sec 20082008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008
Women in Policy and Civil dAdministration
120
80
100 Men
Women
60
80
20
40
0Minis 2009
Secre 2008
Ad Sec 2008
Jt Se 2008
Dep Sec 2008
Sr Astt 2008
Astt sec 20082009 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008
Percentage of Women in other fProfessions
60
50
30
40
STUDENTS
10
20TEACHERS
0
10
BAU 2007 MED COL 2005 BSMMU 2007BAU,2007 MED COL,2005 BSMMU,2007
Challenges of women in scienceChallenges of women in science
• Women succeed in science as a result of theirWomen succeed in science as a result of their own merit, initiative and drive.
• Family support institutional support and most• Family support, institutional support and most importantly government support are very important for women to succeed in theirimportant for women to succeed in their professional career.
Challenges ‐ contd. • Easy access to basic and secondary education — especially in science.
• Encouragement in the classroom, family and environment are important ‐ girls may still fall down from science and scientific fields at any stage of the ladderscientific fields at any stage of the ladder.
• Women and girls are not encouraged to choose scientific professional career in fear of losing them in family affairsprofessional career in fear of losing them in family affairs.
• Moreover women in scientific professions face discrimination in terms of employment promotion anddiscrimination in terms of employment, promotion and retention within S&T careers.
Underrepresentation of women in h hhigher positions
• At the top research or academic institutions, less than p1% women are in the top position.
• In Bangladesh, among 34 public & 70 private universities unfortunately none in public but only two woman couldunfortunately none in public but only two woman could get the position of the vice‐chancellor of private university, though there are many qualified women to achieve those positionsachieve those positions.
• Although women scientists and researchers of our gcountry are hard working, creative and intellectual but they are still underrepresented in the policy making positions of scientific profession and education.positions of scientific profession and education.
Desired strategyDesired strategy
• Explore science through Science communicationExplore science through Science communication and net‐ working
• GET involved with science but also stay involved• GET involved with science, but also stay involved with science
S i h h l k lif d d i• Science change the outlook on life and academic aspirations.
• Enquiry based science education (IBSE)
• Engage more women in Scienceg g
• Empower women
Way forward…….• To ensure economic and social development women participation and gender equality is a must.
• In the initiatives on Science Technology and Innovation, it is crucial to look at the role of women d d l h h h dand gender equality within them, where do women
fit into these initiatives .
• Recent finding has identified the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as grounds for pursuing both gender equality and science technology andboth gender equality and science, technology and innovation initiatives.
• Social, scientific and technological advancement of a nation can only be strengthened through equal participation of men and women in STI.
BAS‐ Young Women Scientists(YWS) workshop
• Social, scientific and technological advancement of a nation , gcan only be strengthened through equal participation of men and women.
A i t ti l k h “Ch ll f Y WCh ll f Y W• An international workshop on “Challenges of Young Women Challenges of Young Women Scientists in New and Emerging SciencesScientists in New and Emerging Sciences” was organized by Bangladesh Academy of Sciences with partial support from TWAS last year.
• The workshop comprising with 60 young women scientists as ‘mentees’ and 8 ‘mentors’ focused the technical and scientificmentees and 8 mentors focused the technical and scientific challenges along with the social barriers that women face in pursuing a career in Science, Technology and Innovation.
YWS workshop‐ “Mentor‐Mentee”
AimAim
• To develop a sustained relationship betweenTo develop a sustained relationship between experienced women scientists who give advice asmentors to less‐experienced young womenasmentors to less experienced young women scientists i.e.mentees.
• The interaction between the mentors and the• The interaction between the mentors and the mentees ‐ to promote the young scientists.
Mentors & MenteesMentors & Mentees
Issues & Challenges for YWSIssues & Challenges for YWS• Successes and barriers for women scientists in pursuing scientific dreams
• Public communication for women in science.
• Balancing Life in career, family life and success.
• Issues related to career development• Issues related to career development
• What women scientists can do for other grassroots in achieving MDG goalsgrassroots in achieving MDG goals
• How to become an entrepreneur inManaging Research & Development ‐potential for commercialization
YWS: Recommendations• YWS should be inspired to achieve success in research in their organizations and to create positive impact in their
iticommunities.
• YWS who reach higher education and launch their careers institutional policies such as mentoring childcarecareers, institutional policies such as mentoring, childcare and funding can influence their advancement along with the male colleagues.the male colleagues.
• Women scientists should sensitize themselves for self‐actualization and self‐realization of potentials. p
• International research collaboration, networking and the ability to communicate science among fellow women scientists and others will help enhance women scientists’ visibility in science and technology.
Remarks by Phumzile Mlambo‐Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women on 12 September 2013p
1. Expanding women’s leadership and participation1. Expanding women s leadership and participation
2. Enhancing women’s economic empowerment
3 Increasing women’s participation in peace and security3. Increasing women s participation in peace and security
4. Ending violence against women and girls
5 Planning and budgeting for gender equality and5. Planning and budgeting for gender equality, and
6. Promoting accountability for strong UN system‐wide action for gender equality and women’s empowermentaction for gender equality and women s empowerment.
We have no other alternative thanWe have no other alternative than promoting and empowering
Women in Science Women in Science forfor
socio‐economic development
Th k llTh k llThank you allThank you all
