What do women have to face in the world of science?
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Women who dedicate their lives to science have more difficulties in obtaining financing than men
With regard to the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the medical journal The Lancet published an article in which it shows the gap between men and women in this field of application. This gap has to do with the financial support that is given to women when it comes to scientific projects, as well as the deployment and recognition granted to them.
Leer en español: ¿A qué se enfrentan las mujeres en el mundo de la ciencia?
The study used about 24,000 applications of scientific projects at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. During this, the applications would be evaluated from two aspects: the applicant and the research proposal.
In both results, women's proposals were less likely to obtain funding. In general terms, the publication of the journal interpreted that "Gender gaps in grant funding are attributable to less favorable assessments of women as principal investigators, not of the quality of their proposed research"
According to the study, when the proposal was evaluated, women obtained 0.9% less subsidy opportunities. On the other hand, when evaluating the scientist or researcher of the proposal, the possibility was 4 points below men.
In addition to this research, it has previously been determined that in scientific backgrounds there is a bias when talking about women. This bias, as explained by the National Center for Oncological Research (CNIO) of Spain in a video, begins implicitly in the classrooms. According to them, since most of the teachers in this field are men, a feeling of inferiority is generated in women.
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The same video states that women's curriculums are worse evaluated than men's, even up to 20%. According to El País, this is also due to the lack of women in the selection committees. In general, there is a need for women to start occupying high scientific positions, since, according to the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), only 25% of women hold positions of high responsibility.
To try to fight this, there are organizations that focus on women in science, in which recognition and greater funding are sought. For example, there is the Organization of Women Scientists of the Developing World, which received around 7,000 million dollars in 2017 for projects, scholarships and doctorates of women in different countries with needs for science and technology.
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) is responsible for providing this budget. According to UNESCO," gender equality is one of the priorities of SIDA. With regard to scientific research, we care that it is done in the South and that is is in charge of researchers from the South," recalling the words of Claire Lynga, research advisor of the agency.
LatinAmerican Post | Juliana Suárez
Translated from "¿A qué se enfrentan las mujeres en el mundo de la ciencia? "
