Gender Imbalance in Diversity
Natural and Applied Sciences
Gender imbalance in both natural and applied sciences is an issue of concern in the current world of technology. Due to the gender imbalance, many researchers have opted to invest time in studying why women in the fields of natural and applied sciences are quite disadvantaged compared to men (United Nations, 2011). Social commentaries have surrounded this issue from the aspect of the researchers’ reports. In the lens of both applied and natural sciences, this issue has attracted social commentaries regarding the participation of women in techno development. An article published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed that few women are involved in innovations compared to men (United Nations, 2011). This report further attracted social commentaries that the involvement of women in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) can support women’s livelihoods and development. Women can influence the agenda for science and technology (S&T) research and development (R&D). Nevertheless, gender imbalance is observed at S&T educations, which favor boys/men in four out of five countries on the ratio of the intakes.
Science can help resolve the gender imbalance in these two lenses of natural and applied sciences by providing gender-based researches. Currently, the proportion of women researchers is increasing. This increase is facilitated by research works targeting gender-based innovations in the fields of technology and medicine (Qaiser, 2019). For instance, the field of medicine has attracted female researchers in the field of pediatrics. Such researches have led to the development of various child diapers as well as sanitary towels, which are associated with females. This does not go without mentioning that men are also involved in such researches but the proportion favor women due to their background knowledge. Therefore, gender imbalances in the applied and natural sciences would not strike women hard because of the availability of the gender-based researches. A report released by the University of Toronto suggests that men dominate the meteorological sciences as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) compared to women (Qaiser, 2019). Some of the reasons are attributed to imbalanced career pathways and motivation to pursue such courses.
Social Sciences
To understand the concept of gender imbalance from the aspect of the social sciences, we have to look beyond the gender norms. This approach can be achieved by examining stereotypes and roles as practices that illuminate the gendered power. Many cultures in the world insubordinate women and men who do not conform to the forms of hegemonic masculinity (Ponthieux & Meurs, 2015). Gender interacts with social issues of politics and leadership, culture and tradition, sexuality and gender-based violence, and some concepts of reproductive health. In this, many social researchers and social sciences have hinted at the possible reasons why women lag in some of these issues, such as politics and leadership. Gender imbalance in society gives a huge loss of human potential that has adverse costs for both men and women (Kabeer, 2015). A society which is ready to combat poverty must embrace gender equality because poverty begins where there is access to quality education. Integral democracy is thus a factor in the social sciences that must be utilized to address the issues of gender imbalance.
The lenses of social science help in addressing the issues of gender imbalance. The society today is indeed a different society from the ancient one where women activists and civil rights movements were formed to champion for women rights (Ponthieux & Meurs, 2015). Today, women are beginning to get equal space in the social sciences. They engage in effective politics and leadership, they are no longer tied to unjust cultures and traditions, and they equally enjoy democracy as men. Social sciences have acted as a blueprint for female rights to this extent (Kabeer, 2015). Various societies today begin to acknowledge that women can also provide the excellent leadership they desire. Through the articulation of the issues of gender-based violence, politics, and leadership, reproductive health, culture, and tradition, social sciences help in developing a deeper understanding of the gender imbalances.
References
Kabeer, N. (2015). Gender, poverty, and inequality: a brief history of feminist contributions in the field of international development. Gender & Development, 23(2), 189-205.
Ponthieux, S., & Meurs, D. (2015). Gender inequality. In Handbook of income distribution (Vol. 2, pp. 981-1146). Elsevier.
Qaiser, F. (2019, February 11th). Lancet-women-stem-inequality-sex-discrimination. Retrieved from MASSIVE SCIENCE : massivesci.com/articles/lancet-women-stem-inequality-sex-discrimination/
United Nations . (2011). Applying a Gender Lens to Science, Technology and Innovation. UNCTAD Current Studies on Science, Technolgoy and Innovation , 1-73. Retrieved from unctad.org/en/docs/dtlstict2011d5_en.pdf