Gender Inequalities in STEM Careers in Developed and Developing Countries

Abstract

Gender inequalities in careers has been an issue for a long time in many parts of the world. Even in the country with the best rates of gender equality in the world, gender inequalities persist across many professions. One of the career fields where there is a lot of gender inequality is science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which in this field is still dominated by men. This study aims to discuss gender inequalities that occur in STEM careers in developing and developed countries. The method used is a systematic literature review using a number of relevant articles from various journals. After the screening process, a number of articles obtained were studied further. As a result, many women experience gender gaps or biases in STEM careers. These gaps occur mainly in developing countries, although the results are not very significant. The gaps are felt especially in women who already have children, because their productivity is considered to decrease when they become a mother. In addition to the difficulty of women to get promotions, inequality also occurs in the provision of wages, where women sometimes get lower wages than men.

Talent denied: Equity and excellence gaps in STEMM

“…They encompass all manner of gaps in all STEMM fields across age groups, educational levels, and scale levels. The following list illustrates the prevalence, extreme diversity, and complexity of the subject: Kinds of gaps: excellence gap, 16,17 pay gap, 18,19 achievement gap, 20 confidence gap, 21,22 opportunity gap, 23,24 representation gap 25 STEMM‐fields: astronomy, 26,27 biology, 28,29 chemistry, 30,31 engineering, 32,33 geosciences, 34,35 computer science, 36 math, 37,38 medicine, 39,40 pharmacy, 41,42 physics 43,44 Age groups: early childhood, 45 childhood, 46,47 youth and adolescence, 48,49 adulthood 50,51 Educational levels: kindergarten, 52,53 elementary education, 23,54 secondary education, 55,56 higher education, 57,58 vocational education 59,60 Kinds of groups: ethnicity, 48,61 gender and sex, 62,63 immigrants, 64,65 migrants, 66,67 generational, 68,69 sexual orientation and gender identity, 70,71 countries, 72,73 special educational needs and disabilities, 45,71 twice exceptional 74 Scale levels: geography, 75,76 culture, 77,78 institutions and organizations, 79,80 schools, 56,81 groups, 61,82 family 83,84 …”

“…• Kinds of gaps: excellence gap, 16,17 pay gap, 18,19 achievement gap, 20 confidence gap, 21,22 opportunity gap, 23,24 representation gap 25 • STEMM-fields: astronomy, 26,27 biology, 28,29 chemistry, 30,31 engineering, 32,33 geosciences, 34,35 computer science, 36 math, 37,38 medicine, 39,40 pharmacy, 41,42 physics 43,44 • Age groups: early childhood, 45 childhood, 46,47 youth and adolescence, 48,49 adulthood 50,51 • Educational levels: kindergarten, 52,53 elementary education, 23,54 secondary education, 55,56 higher education, 57,58 vocational education 59,60 • Kinds of groups: ethnicity, 48,61 gender and sex,…”