The three pillars for equality in science: make visible, educate and legislate

EFE | Madrid – February 11, 2022

In the more than 120 years of history of Nobel laureate scientistjust a 4 % of the awardees have been womena fact that reflects the alarming situation of the female sector in science and the long way to go to achieve equality.

“This is not an anecdote, it is a worrying fact that cannot leave us indifferent”, emphasized the Minister of Science and Innovation, Diana Morantwhile participating in a working day organized by the Women and Science Group of the SEBBM, AseBio, ASEICA-Mujer and the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC) on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science which since 2015 is celebrated on February 11.

Also, he underlined the importance from “break the inertia historical and respond with political action” to ensure that women can develop “a draft professional Y personal full, without extra obstacles in its way, nor unjust vital resignations».

13% choose careers scientific

The day was attended by the Queen Letiziato whom all the participants they thanked his support to this initiative promoted by the United Nations to promote the equality from gender on the sciencepromote scientific vocations, and give visibility to the work of women dedicated to STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

In his speech, Morant recalled that only the 13% of young people choose careers scientifica fact that is “wrong”, but that in the case of races technological or in Math “It’s directly a disaster”.

To reverse this situation, the minister said it is essential make visible the job of women, at school but also at home, and accompany this action with “measures transformative” that support the race of women, such as those included in the reform of the Law of Science which will be approved in the next few days.

“We must make visible, legislate and educate,” he summarized.

collective responsibility

The president of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Rosa Menéndez, recalled that, although the biases from gender in science is they correct little by little, it is estimated that we will take several decades in attain the equality in the field scientific and more than a hundred in the field economicaccording to data from the World Economic Forum.

For the head of the CSIC, correcting these inequalities goes through increase the number students racing STEM Y raise the presence of women in the stalls from responsibility and in decision making.

The CNIC researcher, Guadalupe Sabio, warned that the bias from gender «comes of our educationwho instilled in us from a young age that they are plus smart and capable than us. “The consequence is that at 6 years old girls associate genius with boys, and this despite the fact that they get better grades.”

Breaking these stereotypes is a «responsibility collective» because Spain «cannot afford to lose 50% of the talent», but to achieve equality «we need make visible, legislate Y educate in equality«.

Promotion and maternity

In a subsequent debate with women scientists and entrepreneurs, the president of the SEBBM, Isabel Varelawarned that it is “very important” support to the teachers of primary and secondary so that correct these biases between boys and girls; Y Dew Creekmember of Asebio and general director of Amdaix, pointed out that the presence from referents feminine in the books of text round the 7-8%

For her part, the researcher Ramón y Cajal Ana Risk (MNCN) denounced that the scientific career is much more hard for women and that the situation is very frustrating because “after the effort and an extraordinarily competitive career” the moment from promote usually coincide with the maternity.

For the researcher Marisol Soengas (CNIO), one of the best ways to break stereotypes and promote scientific vocations in girls is show them the day to day of the scientific“And that’s what he does ‘Get to know them‘, a initiative of the Spanish Association for Cancer Research (Aseica) that this year, in its second edition, connected more than 11,000 girls and kids with 235 researchers of Cancer«.