The importance of women's participation and leadership in STEM

Achieving gender equality in science is not only a moral imperative but also crucial for advancing scientific innovation. The underrepresentation of women in science deprives the field of diverse perspectives and limits the development of multifaceted solutions. For instance, in many developing countries, women are primarily responsible for water collection. Involving them in water management projects ensures solutions that reflect their needs and lived experiences. Despite this, women's participation in research and leadership within the water sector remains minimal (UNESCO, 2021).

Historically, the male-dominated field of medical research has overlooked crucial sex differences in medicine. However, the inclusion of women in this field has been transformative, leading to groundbreaking scientific discoveries that significantly enhance women's health and well-being (Kozlowski et al., 2022).

In various forms of media, such as those that highlight the often-overlooked contributions of women in STEM, we observe that gender disparities in recognition and opportunity are a widespread issue. For instance, many women have made critical contributions to significant scientific advancements, yet their achievements have frequently been undervalued due to gender biases. This pattern of systemic erasure of women's accomplishments in science is a global phenomenon. Women scientists around the world, including those in the Global South, continue to face substantial challenges and barriers due to their gender and the socio-political environments in which they work (OECD, 2020).

The gender gap in STEM is not a result of individual choices but is shaped by systemic barriers, including gender biases, stereotypes, and structural inequalities within educational institutions and workplaces (UNESCO, 2021). Uncovering and addressing these barriers is a necessary step in driving development around the world.

Significant progress has been made in highlighting the lack of gender equality in STEM fields, yet non-diverse science and technology sectors remain the norm. According to UNESCO's 2024 report on the gender gap in science, women represent only a third of researchers globally, with even lower representation in leadership roles and senior positions—a statistic that has remained almost unchanged in the past decade. Data on other marginalized groups is often unavailable or unrecognized.

The lack of diversity in science, technology, and innovation sectors has significant economic consequences. Studies show that diverse teams are more innovative and produce more impactful research. Excluding women and other marginalized groups leads to missed opportunities for innovation and solutions to global challenges like climate change and health crises. This exclusion risks further entrenching biases and neglecting key research priorities. It is crucial that voices from all regions, especially marginalized communities, shape research agendas and drive innovation.

IDRC's commitment to gender equality in STEM

Building evidence on gender equality has been a priority for IDRC throughout its history, from ensuring that women participate in research projects as researchers and beneficiaries to identifying how to scale much needed services, like childcare or sexual and reproductive health rights. All IDRC-supported research considers gender in its rationale and most of it addresses gender equality through the meaningful participation of women in marginalized communities, for example, or by generating new data on gender inequality.

Inequalities exist across multiple and intersecting categories of identity, including, but not limited to gender, sexuality, age, class, race, caste, ethnicity, citizenship status, religion, and ability; taking an intersectional approach to equality recognizes these differences and understands diversity as central to advancing equality. Given that gender inequality is a significant barrier across all dimensions of diversity, IDRC invests specific efforts in ensuring its work promotes gender equality.

The Breaking Barriers Network

As part of its 2030 Strategy, IDRC has committed to promoting gender equality in STEM. IDRC recognizes that gender equality is crucial for scientific innovation and development. By addressing gender disparities, IDRC aims to create a more inclusive and effective research environment.

IDRC funded the CAD$3,3M "Breaking systemic barriers to women's participation in science" initiative in 2020 t o advance its commitment to gender equity and build on its significant experience working to promote inclusivity across science systems in the Global South. The cohort of 10 projects analyzed trends of gendered participation in Southern science systems and the embedded systemic and systematic inequities that prevent women from advancing in a range of fields and sectors in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.

These studies generated evidence on the unique obstacles facing women and other marginalized groups in STEM in low-income countries. Building on this pilot, in 2021 funding was expanded for IDRC's Gender in STEM (GIST) initiative. The CAD$7.3 million investment to advance gender analysis and women's leadership in STEM fields in the Global South has funded 6 projects across Latin America, the Caribbean and South Asia. These projects have aimed to add to existing and emerging evidence by:

• Increasing the understanding of the barriers that prevent women from progressing in STEM fields
• Providing evidence on which strategies are most effective to break down those barriers in low- and middle-income countries
• Improving women's leadership in science
• Integrating gender analysis as a standard component of scientific research

Research projects funded through both cohorts, as well as IDRC's ongoing work on providing scholarships for early career women scientists through collaboration with the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), are showing results and findings relevant to various stakeholders across the Global North and South. The cohort of researchers, that make up these various initiatives, now referred to as the Breaking Barriers Network, is gathering and building advocacy and momentum across its relevant geographies. From conducting a gender audit at a major university in Zimbabwe to an innovative fellowship program supporting Indigenous women scientists in Mexico, the Breaking Barriers Network is building bridges to advance women's sustained participation and leadership across STEM fields.

An Evidence-Informed Research Agenda

The projects have worked to identify context-specific barriers and pilot both known and innovative interventions. These have included pedagogical practices, policies, institutionalized data gathering, and gender-responsive methodologies applied in some higher education institutions and STEM fields. Project leaders have seen success, with initiatives such as co-developing sexual harassment and gender equity policies alongside national ministries and replicating efforts across local institutions. For instance, in Zimbabwe, a project team is assisting the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Technology in setting an agenda and developing policies on sexual harassment and addressing broader gender equity issues. However, there is a need to explore how these interventions can be scaled up by involving policymakers and other key STI ecosystem stakeholders from the start.

Recognizing the critical need for ongoing efforts across the educational spectrum, it is essential that initiatives for greater gender equity and inclusion (GEI) align with national science and technology priorities and the evolving needs of industry. The systemic barriers that exist highlight the importance of a coordinated, multi-faceted approach that integrates national and regional educational, science, and technology priorities, with clear commitments to advancing equitable development.

As part of the Breaking Barriers Network, researchers from Latin America and Africa have collaborated to develop a research agenda grounded in existing knowledge, experience, and best practices identified by experts working in diverse contexts. Despite the persistent challenges to women's participation in STEM in both the Global North and South, these researchers have demonstrated that intentional, context-specific, and engaged interventions can help bridge the gender gap in STEM.

The systemic barriers that exist highlight the importance of a coordinated, multi-faceted approach that integrates national and regional educational, science, and technology priorities, with clear commitments to advancing equitable development.

A Theory of Change

• Gender stereotypes, cultural and societal norms shapewomen’s aspirations and experiences in STEM.
• There is a lack of female role models and mentors in STEM fields.
• Gender biases in education undermine women’s confidence in STEM.
• Women face undervaluation and discrimination in STEM workplaces.
• There are insufficient policies that support and protect women in STEM.

• Importance of Comprehensive Programs
• Role of Participatory Research
• Value of Role Models
• Need for Policy Integration and Implementation
• Community Engagement and Education
• Transformative Learning

• Establishing initiatives to promote gender equity, including genderresponsive policies, mentorship programs, and scholarship programmes. Additionally, conducting gender audits to ensure safe and supportive environments for women.
• Comprehensive data collection efforts that utilize genderresponsive methodologies to identify barriers to women’s participation in STEM, inform evidence-based policies that address gender inequalities.
• Designing and implementing mentorship frameworks and collaborative networks that empower marginalized women in STEM, providing them with leadership opportunities and resources to enhance their participation in decision-making and research initiatives.
• Building support systems to facilitate women’s transitions from STEM education to the workforce. These systems include curriculum revisions, capacity-building initiatives, and policy frameworks, ensuring women receive ongoing support throughout their careers.

• Expanding Leadership and Mentorship Opportunities: Frameworks and initiatives provide leadership opportunities to marginalized groups often excluded from decision-making and research agendasetting. This includes scaling mentorship practices, postgraduate training, and fostering collaborative networks for women and other underrepresented individuals in STEM.
• Strengthening Data Collection and Analysis: Improved data collection on gender, racial, and social disparities is critical to understanding factors such as attrition, low participation, and high-risk dropout moments. This evidence base informs policies that address barriers to success in STEM education and careers for marginalized groups.
• Facilitating Coordinated Support Across Education and Career Pathways: Coordination between institutions and policies across the educational spectrum and workforce is essential to ensure continuity of support. Gendersensitive training and gender-responsive pedagogies help sustain inclusivity, while addressing the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups as they transition from education to STEM careers.
• Enhancing Gender-Responsive Institutional Policies: National science institutions and workplaces integrate gender and inclusivity principles into policies to promote marginalized groups in STEM, ensuring advocacy, alignment with science priorities, and creating supportive environments free from gender-based violence, harassment, and discrimination.

Ultimate Goal

Science systems are made more inclusive, enabling women to emerge as leaders  and contribute to knowledge and innovation that improves people’s lives.