Involving Women in Science, Technology and Mathematics (STM): Obstacles, Remedies and
Challenges for National Development

Dr Uchenna Nzewi
Sub-Department of Science Education
University of Nigeria
Nsukka

INTRODUCTION

Women make up more than half of the population in many countries, and yet more than
54% of all women in the world have never been to school, also 72.8% of all the women in
Africa are illiterate (UNESCO, 1981). This clearly shows that education worldwide is
still confined to men, and as a result, science, technology and mathematics still remains
the privilege of men.

In most Third World countries, a large percentage of the population live in the rural
areas. In Lesotho, for example, more than two-thirds of the rural population are female
and this is attributed to the high rates of male labour migration to South Africa.
(UNESCO, 1987). In Kenya where 87% of the total population live in the rural sector
women comprise 51% of the population. In most instances, these women make up a
large proportion of farmers and distributors of agricultural products and most of their
work is done using outmodel technologies (Patel 1977). An adaptation of any
appropriate technology in agriculture extended to women, could ease their workload,
allow them to plant, harvest and store nutritious foods for their families and generally
upgrade the living standards in the rural areas.

     Regarding the multiple role played in society by an African rural woman, Carr (1979)
observed that an African rural women is responsible for her familyÔs diet by increasing
the output and diversifying the food crops in her garden, thereby improving the
nutritional value of her familyÔs diet; is expected to supply fuel and water for family
use, convey farm produce to the market, process and store food from season to season;
obtain the best prices and barter at the local markets; and take large measures of
responsibility for the welfare of the members of the family. This means that health,
nutrition, population and education needs of the family are being met by women. Yet
these women are not fully involved in science and technological education.
     
     Since data (UNESCO, 1987) show that women make up about two-thirds of the
labour force in most third world countries, there is an urgent need to involve them in
science and technology sectors. WomenÕs access to technological information and
education will to a great extent determine the extent to which they will use new
technologies or the degree to which the technology is ÒappropriateÒ.

     Edwards (1979) as cited by Chawanje (1988) gave an example of a ÒLORENAÒ
stove in Guatemala which was designed without the involvement of the women users.
Follow-up studies showed that the stoves cracked as a result of inappropriate sand and
clay mixes and too hot a fire caused by too narrow a heating base. The women who did
most of the cooking using the stove were not asked to attend any training courses;
consequently, they were not instructed as to how the stove were built and if there were
any defects, how these could be rectified to suit their needs. Failure to involve women in
this project led to its failure.
     
     If women make up more than 50% of the world population, and if this 50% of the
worldÔs human resources is ignored by focusing on men only in various fields of science
and technology, then this omission could be detrimental to the future of the whole
society. It has in fact been observed by the United Nations charter for the elimination of
all forms of discrimination against women that Òfull and complete development of a
country, the welfare of the world and the cause of peace require the maximum
participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields.Ò
     
     In spite of the above, the number of women involved in, and engaged in STM related
efforts and endeavours are abysmally low. In this paper, we have highlighted the
obstacles on the way of females from pursing careers in science, technology and
mathematics (STM) related fields. We have also put out suggestions on how these
obstacles can be surmounted. The paper ended by drawing attention to the challenges in
national development and how the women can help.
     
Obstacles: The general obstacles to women engaging in, and pursuing careers in STM
could be summarized as due to the factors of traditions and cultural norms, attitudes
and prejudices, Religion, Poverty and Ignorance.
     
     The subordination of women is deeply ingrained in the consciousness of both men
and women and is usually regarded as a natural consequence of the biological
differences between them. This is reinforced through cultural practices, religious beliefs
and the educational system which accord lower status to women.
     
     Social norms regard careers in scientific and technological fields as a male
prerogative. With this social conditioning and attitudes, girls are generally not
encouraged to aspire for scientific careers. This is helped by family pressures from
parents who want shorter training periods for their daughters to enable them get married.
     
     Looking at women scientists, especially married ones, their main problem seem to be
that of restricted physical mobility. Inability to participate in professional activities
which are often held outside their locality may lead to slow personal development in
their chosen career. These women have problems trying to balance domestic management
and the practice of scientific work. These women manifest evidence of physical and
nervous stress and overwork. This limits their capacity for efficient housework and work
in their chosen profession. Very often, this results in a shift to job opportunities that are
easier to reconcile with marriage and child bearing.
     
     In developed countries, females adopt ÒsequencingÒ - a period of work followed by a
period of family building and then return to work. This doesnÔt work well for
scientists. This is because science is an avocation demanding a life time of 
     commitment. It is also an enormously competitive business. This practice of
sequencing has not been able to work for the Nigerian woman because she will simply
lose her job and be replaced. The general risk for women who practice sequencing is that
their skills usually become obsolete when they return to work.
     
     Traditionally, women are expected to be supported by their husbands, fathers or
other male kin- they are therefore expected to be secure and satisfied with the
comparatively lower wages they earn from governmental and less challenging institutions
where they have limited working hours. Any women who therefore wants something
more than this is sometimes regarded as being greedy and selfish. Such women are faced
with a lot of opposition and poor cooperation from colleagues - male and females alike.
This sometimes results in open hostility and physical violence  (Nzewi, 1993).
     
Surmounting the Obstacles:  

Public education programs need to be mounted to raise the
consciousness of both men and women on the need to encourage women to participate in
scientific and technological activities. Human survival is currently the worldÔs pressing
problem and women are crucial to that survival since they constitute half the worldÔs
population. Strategies for survival cannot succeed if the potential capabilities of women
are not natured and harnessed for full participation.
     
   A new balance between male and female elements in the society is needed. It might be
in the nature of making provision for part-time employment for both men and women.
This would lead to a more rational utilization of human resources. We can ill afford to
waste about 50% of human ingenuity at a time when technological innovation and
economic growth are determined more than by the quality of human resources rather
than by natural resources or capital or unskilled labour.
     
     A greater socialization of child-care in the form of the availability of day schools,
pre-schools and creches, conceivably on a cooperative basis in every large establishment
with as much involvement of the parents as possible.
     
     Since women have to perform a dual role and would almost certainly have a break in
their service due to social obligations; flexibility in rules, continuity of services, special
training and re-training opportunities are essential. 
     
     Finally, women should preserver and encourage their daughters to go into STM. By so
doing, more and more women would be sustained in STM.
     
Challenges in National Development:  

The greatest challenge a women faces at the
national level is the conflicting expectations of her role at home, in career and in society.
It is generally understood that a womanÔs main role is in the running of a home,
therefore, society is slow to accept that women can give important professional input at the
national level. Furthermore, both men and women are accustomed to taking instructions
from men rather than from women. Nevertheless, women are in a better position to
influence certain aspects of development such as agriculture, public health and
education.
     
Food Production:  

The main responsibility of providing food for the family often falls on
the women as pointed out earlier. This in effect is responsible for a large percentage of
women in both the rural and urban areas being involved in one form of agriculture or the
other. A woman agriculturist can therefore easily identify with and understand the
plight of the farming community in their major decision-making roles in planting, storing
and distribution of food crops. Rearing of domestic animals on a part-time basis is
mostly the pre-occupation of women and children. This part-time ÒjobÒ helps in no
small way to meet the protein requirement of most families. Female veterinarians will
therefore be in a better position to work with this class of farmers because they will have
more patience with their seemingly absurd questions.
     
Health Services:  Significant contributions have been made by women in the area of
public health. Their greatest achievements have been in educating women on proper
nutrition, hygiene and vaccination of the young. The current Expanded Program on
Immunization (EPI) and the Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) are positive indications of
the way women have worked to improve and achieve health for all by the mythical year
2000. Greater improvements in these endeavours could have been realized if there were
potable water in every home in the country. Mothers and potential mothers, understand
this better and if trained as water engineers, they will bring a human face to their
vocation. The reduced maternal and child mortality currently recorded in this country is
an indication of how women have contributed to improving living standards of an
average Nigerian family. The main target for the recently launched popular education
in Nigeria is women. This could be seen from the AIDS slogans and the population
control commodities available. 
     
Education:  

All women are faced with an enormous task of educating their children right
from birth. This role they have been playing admirably. As women scientists, they are in
a better position to change a lot of cultural norms; such as letting their male children
have the first opportunity at being educated. Parents (female) who are educated have
higher aspirations for their daughters. Women in STM careers have also had a lot of
positive influence on girls deciding and opting for STM related jobs and careers. For
instance, a female student in a rural area might decide to become a vet doctor simply
because a female vet doctor is the one who comes around to treat their animals.
     
     The majority of the teachers at the primary and secondary school levels are females.
These have contributed a lot towards provided the needed manpower in different
sectors of the economy. They can 
still help father by ensuring that girls get the proper career guidance so that a lot more of
the able ones get into science and technology related jobs and careers.
     
Conclusion:
     
     It has been established that women are needed for a balanced national development
judging from the various areas where their functions are most needed. There are,
however, obstacles on the way of these women that prevent them from performing these
roles. These have been identified as those due to traditions and cultural norms; attitudes
and prejudices; religion; poverty and ignorance.
     
     These obstacles are however surmountable and the means and ways of doing this
have been highlighted. Urgent affirmative action is therefore needed to realized the full
benefits of women participation which is best summarized in the words of
Raychaudhuri (1991:117).
               
 Women, especially women scientists,have a crucial role to play in overcoming the
problem of poverty and backwardness and subsequent development of the third world
countries. Though the role of women as scientists generally is in no way  different from
that of men scientists, women scientists can play a more significant role in social
transformation, especially with their unique status as mothers. They can arrest the
undesirable elements of social issues which would  be a big a leap forward in the
continuing struggle for social transformation in a developing country.
               
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