COVID-19 strengthens glass ceiling

WOMEN pursuing careers in pharmaceutical research and academia are facing fresh challenges preventing them from breaking through the glass ceiling, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking during an International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) webinar on Wed night, a number of female pharmacists said their research was “on hold” as they attempt to juggle caring for family members and meeting their professional responsibilities.

Turkish Pharmacists’ Association sociologist, Ecehan Balta, told delegates that the global pandemic has exacerbated preexisting barriers for women in academic settings.

“The gender inequities have already been preventing women from promotions in academic life, and we now observe that it is increasing,” she said.

“We can say that there’s a glass ceiling above our heads and whenever we try to climb, we hit it.

“And remote working is not making it easier, because we have much more to do in the household.”

Kathmandu University Department of Pharmacy Head, Dr Rajani Shakya, noted a global decline in publishing by female authors since the COVID-19 crisis started.

“Everyone is affected by the pandemic, but overall it has largely hit females [more than males],” she said.

“In our workplace most of us are competing with men who do far less at home - there are some exceptional cases, but in the majority of households it is the women who find difficulty in finding the time for their professional growth due to domestic work.

“In this pandemic I have read some articles that say the number of publications from male authors is growing faster than the number by female authors.

“Globally women are not advancing in research as much as men due to COVID-19.”

Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Department of Pharmaceutics Senior Lecturer, Mariam El Boakye-Gyasi, told the webinar that the combination of pressure to care for family members and the COVID-induced closure of university facilities in Ghana was limiting opportunities for female pharmacists to conduct research.

“All our research has come to a halt,” she said.

“Even putting together papers for publication is a challenge now [because of domestic pressures].”