Last week we celebrated the International Day of Women and the Girl in Science and like every year, in addition to remembering the great women who have contributed to great scientific and technological progress in history, it is important to keep in mind why this day is celebrated every year.
First of all, digital transformation, innovation in processes and products, as well as new technologies are some of the elements that have accelerated its growth after the pandemic and that have currently allowed millions of organizations around the world to continue operating. However, according to the World Economic Forum, it is possible that the impact of the pandemic on women working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) may be greater, resulting in higher levels of the gender gap than in the pre-pandemic period.
The numbers haven’t changed much. This year, the United Nations reported that only 33% of researchers worldwide are women, as they receive less funding and budget and are less likely to be promoted. Similarly, women represent only 22 percent of professionals working in the field of artificial intelligence and 28 percent of engineering graduates. As the United Nations says, these disparities limit our ability to find comprehensive and sustainable solutions to modern problems and build a better quality of life for all.
Namely, the conclusion and the viewpoint of various organizations and specialists is the same: the more women are integrated and perform in STEM jobs, the better the economic growth of countries.
For starters, when talking about jobs in general, McKinsey & Company predicts that if steps are taken now to improve gender parity by 2030 (including investments in education, family planning, maternal health, digital and financial inclusion, as well as correcting the burden of unpaid work Care business related to the care of children and the elderly), $13 trillion could be added to the global GDP. This will also create hundreds of millions of new jobs for women around the world. In Mexico, if the gap between participation between men and women were closed, the per capita income would rise by 22% in Mexico.
Meanwhile, speaking of STEM jobs and taking examples like Europe, achieving gender equality in these professions could add 1.2 million jobs and between 610,000 and 820,000 euros to Europe’s GDP by 2050. At KIO Networks we are proud to have Women in STEM Careers Every day contributes to our ability to provide the best solutions and services in technology to improve people’s lives.
The path is clear and so is the actions to be taken, if we all do our part, organizations, academia, businesses and government, we will continue to empower girls and women, supporting them to enter and grow in STEM careers and in this way, ensure that future generations lead us to more New developments, discoveries and paths to a better future.
General Director of Strategic Planning, Communication and Human Resources.
“Creator. Devoted pop culture specialist. Certified web fanatic. Unapologetic coffee lover.”