Latin American women seek equal participation
20 May 1999
[LONDON]
A forum on women, science and technology in Latin America has demanded new policies and positive action to bring about the equal participation and professional development of women in science.
In a report on a meeting held earlier this year, the forum demands that national, regional and international organizations commit to implementing its recommendations. National governments need to design long-term policies on science and technology that would mainstream the equal gender perspective, says the report.
Priority actions recommended include assigning grants and subsidies to: women for graduate and post-graduate studies, those returning to work after 35 years of age, and to research projects in traditionally masculine fields. It is also suggested that mechanisms should be developed to ensure women's equal participation in hierarchic posts, congresses, scientific events, evaluation committees and editorial boards.
Other recommendations are that national and regional grants and other incentives are needed to encourage undergraduate studies in areas of science where women are in the minority. Studies on the working environment are necessary to promote women-friendly working climates. Easily accessible indicators of performance between different countries should also be made available.
Despite individual country differences within the region, the report says that the situation of women involved in science and technology has common traits. Although the participation has increased women are concentrated in some areas and underrepresented in others. "They are facing specific obstacles and difficulties in their professional lives that have as much to do with intrinsic institutional factors... as with the socio-cultural conditioning that limits their full development". The report cites the persistent delegation of the traditional roles of housekeepers and family caretakers resulting in persistent labour and salary discrimination.
The forum aimed to set regional strategies to strengthen women's participation in science and technology, to establish a basis for a Regional Plan of Action and to give detailed conclusions and recommendations for the World Conference on Science.
The panels focused 6 areas: women's professional paths in S&T fields; educating women on S&T; women and new technologies in a global context; technological innovation; biotechnology and ethical frontiers; women's relationship with scientific and technologic transformations; and promotion policies.
NATASHA LODER
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Nature © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 1999 Registered No. 785998 England.