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Women’s relationship with the world of science and innovation has not been easy, and neither has the path chosen by many women entering male-dominated environments. Although many of the obstacles encountered by female pioneers in the fields of science and technology have now been overcome, there is still a long road ahead of us, and that is something we must focus on.
Effective equality for women in all areas of social life, as well as science and technology, is a matter of great importance in our country and for our economy. For years society has not recognised this reality but, if we really want to advance as a country, we cannot continue to waste 50% of the talent available.
In spite of the fact that the majority of university alumni today are women, and that they finish their studies with better average grades than their male counterparts, there are certain disciplines that are still resistant to female participation. Such is the case of engineering and some experimental sciences where less than 30% are women. Although it is well known, the fact that we still do not have a single female professor of Paediatrics, Gynaecology or Obstetrics is no less shocking.
The number of women in the higher echelons of science and business is practically unchanging and in no way reflects the pool of qualified, experienced and capable women available for these positions.
The United States National Academy of Science and Engineering highlights that “a greater presence of women in the world of science and technology is essential for scientific excellence and also for the economic development of the country”. In the same vein, the European Research Area Vision sets us a clear goal for 2030, stating this will be a time when “Half of all scientists and research policymakers, across all disciplines and at all levels of the science system, are women”. European institutions are, therefore, developing mandates to apply the gender policies (gender mainstreaming) as established in the Treaty of Amsterdam in the field of science. This Treaty deals with the principle of gender mainstreaming as adopted by the United Nations at the World Conference on Women in Beijing in1995.
These facts mean we must work hard to correct the imbalance produced by the absence
of women in the world of science. This is something we are doing at present in the Spanish Government, and which we will continue to do by developing the new Law on Science, Technology and Innovation. This Law constitutes a major leap forward in promoting the roles women should be playing, incorporating the gender perspective. The articles of the Law relating to gender have been defined by some of the world’s leading authorities on the subject, creating a benchmark which, once it has been definitively developed, will put Spain ahead of the rest of the world.
The Law includes the requirement that all assessment committees for science degree courses (and any other committees it covers) comprise an equal number of men and women, reinforcing the related provisions detailed in the Law of Equality and the Law of Universities. It also incorporates gender as a category to be cross-analysed in relation to scientific research, technology development and innovation, at the same time as promoting gender and women’s studies. Thanks to this rule, Public Research Bodies will adopt equality plans, like those already in place in universities, which will include incentives for centres that improve their gender indicators.
In order to progress with the development of this new Law, we need to be better aware of the reality; we need more scientific evidence on which to base our policies. It is for this reason we have created this White Paper on the position of Women in Science in Spain. The document provides empirical evidence of the presence of men and women in our scientific system, and the driving force behind it is the Women and Science Unit of the Ministry of Science and Innovation with contributions by professionals of great renown in econometrics in our country. The data that can be systematically examined here shows us the true panorama with its bright spots and more murky areas. It shows us the advances that have been made, but also the difficulties we still have to face.
We have come a long way since Concepción Arenal had to disguise herself to be able to study. Our science system now boasts some fantastic female scientists, but the road we still have to travel is at least as long as that we have travelled so far.
As a woman dedicated to science and innovation, and as a member of a Government committed to equality, I am certain that an ambitious productive system such as ours, that aims to be competitive on a global scale, cannot afford to do without half the talent in the country any longer.
For this reason, all of us, from our respective positions, must strive to achieve the goal set for Europe: that by 2030 half of all scientists and research policymakers, across all disciplines and at all levels of the science system, are women. A just recognition of the merits and abilities of everyone to achieve absolute excellence in science.