Women in science: the role of gender equality machinery

Indrė Mackevičiūtė

Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson

Mapping the current situation• In 2002-2003 for every 100 of male university students there were

145 of female students.

• In 2002, there were only 37 % of female scientists, 15 % - doctors habilis (of 11 % of women had academic titles of professor and 26 % that of docent), 41 % - doctors, 12 % - professors without the scientific degree.

• Female teachers on general schools comprised 86 % in 2002, 66 % in vocational schools, 73 % in colleges, 43 % in universities.

• There has never been a female Minister of Education and Science or a Rector of University. Headmasters at school and heads of departments in the ministry were mostly men.

Traditional gender imbalance

• Under-representation of women in top positions in research institutions

• Female students dominate in the fields of: education (81 %), humanities and arts (75 %), social sciences, business and law (60 %), health and social care (88 %).

• Over-representation of women among teaching staff

• Science, mathematics and computing (51 %), engineering manufacturing and construction (64 %) were dominated by men

Within the research community:

• Women find it difficult to make a career in research due to stereotypic attitudes

• Women find it difficult to get scientific degrees

• Women tend to underestimate their own abilities, they have low sensitivity to unequal treatment

• Women are often subject to indirect discrimination

Funding of the research

Distribution of researchers (%)

BES

5.8

GOV

23.3

HES

70.9

Distribution of research expenditure

29.1 39.6 31.3

% of women researchers

42.0 46.7 47.5

Value of research

The interdependence between science/research and economic activity dramatically decreased after the regain

of country’s independence

Research became an unprofitable activity

Therefore unattractive for young generation

“Brain drain”

Law on Equal Opportunities of Women and Men (1999)

The insitutions of education and science must ensure equal conditions for women and men regarding:

1) admission to vocational educational institutions, colleges, institutions of higher education, and to qualification improvement courses;

2) award of grants and providing loans for students;3) selection of curricula;4) assessment of knowledge.

The insitutions of education and science must ensure that curricula and text books do not propagate discrimination of women and men

It is discriminatory to provide different opportunities for choosing a special area of study.

Law on Equal Opportunities of Women and Men (II)

• It prohibited to give priority to one of the sexes when recruiting and promoting– except for cases of positive action

• Education and science institutions are subject to prohibition of any other forms of direct or indirect discrimination and sexual harassment

• Every person has a right to address the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman with a complaint on dicrimination on grounds of sex

Complaint statistics

• In 2003 the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman has received more than 60 complaints and initiated around 20 investigation on its own initiative– none of the investigations concerned the situation of

women in science

• In 1999 investigated the procedure of granting the degree of doctor habilis from the gender perspective

Law on Education

• In 2003 equal opportunities were included among the principles of the educational system– educational system is socially fair and

available to individuals irrespective of their sex

Law on Equal Opportunities of Women and Men (III)

• State institutions must draw up and implement programmes aimed at assuring equal opportunities for women and men

National Program on Equal Opportunities of Women and Men (2003-2004)

• The document serves as the main tool for gender mainstreaming

• The Commission of Equal Opportunities for Women and Men coordinates the implementation of the program

• Specific actions aim to improve women’s situation in education

• Direct responsibility for the implementation of those measures is laid upon the Ministry of Education and Science

Effects of the program

• The proposals to institutions of science and education will be prepared in 2004 as to improve gender equality situation

• As for now no better conditions were created to increase the number of women scientists and improve their status:

– not enough attention was paid to the problem

– actions implemented in regard to social guarantees to women with children who want to study for a master’s or doctor’s degree presented no sufficient development

What can be done?

• Funding for research assured• Programs aimed at the improvement of the situation of

women scientists• Encouraging women to seek for a scientific career• Overcoming gender stereotypes• Ensuring the protection of rights to non-discrimination

provided by the laws• Improving the possibilities to reconcile family and work

life• Encouraging the development of public discourse on the

issue• Reviewing the procedures of awarding scientific degrees