SGCI keen on gender inclusivity
Women scientists have a critical role to play in contributing to sub- Saharan Africa’s development and transformation agenda.
However, gender equality in science and technology, which experts view as a vital cogwheel to achieve sustainable development, is still lagging behind in the continent.
This is an area which Science Granting Councils Initiative ( SGCI) in sub- Saharan Africa has taken note of and is now trying to play a major role in trying to bridge the gender gap. Oabona Monngakgotla, Botswana’s Deputy Director at Department of Research, Science and Technology says that women face a number of challenges and that is why they are not involved in large numbers in the area of STI.
The challenges, which, he said, are not unique to Botswana but Africa as a whole, include issues of socialisation.
“Our communities are paternalistic in many respects and this has gone down to our education system, where women are made to believe that some educational subjects such as science and technology are associated with masculinity. “That is still prevailing, and is deep- rooted in the way we have been socialised,” said Monngakgotla in an interview. But it is not all doom and gloom as this is one of the SGCI, which is focused on strengthening the capacities of Science Granting Councils ( SGCs) in order to support research and evidence- based policies that will contribute to economic and social development in Sub- Saharan Africa. Already efforts are being made by the government to mobilise women scientists in Africa.
“There is already a Task Team that is formed by members of the
SGCs from different countries. Very soon they will be commissioning a study that will be documenting the challenges that women face in SGCs member states and after that they will be able to come up with programmes to counter such challenges,” says Abraham Mathodi, chief research, science and technology officer with the Department of Research Science and Technology. The Task Team is being funded and supported by the Initiative. Mathodi said Botswana does not have a representative in the Task Team but said the issues are the same and Botswana will benefit from the programmes that will come out of the study.
Besides, Botswana has through the National Policy on Research, Science, Technology and Innovation of 2011 made provisions for gender inclusivity and vulnerable groups. “So it goes to show how thoughtful we are in the recognition that gender is also critical on issues of science and technology,” said the deputy director, Monngakgotla. Women represent a significant proportion ( 52 percent in 2006, according to the Human Resources Development Strategy) of Botswana’s human resource base and constitute a pool of undertapped talent for STI. Botswana is therefore committed to institute affirmative action to raise participation of women in science and technology fields. “Deliberate actions will be taken to address gender issues and inequalities in order to provide equal opportunities for the participation of men and women in science and technology careers,” reads the policy document.
However, many of the noble objectives contained in the policy could not be achieved because Botswana does not have an SGC.
“We may not have put in place deliberate initiatives that attract women into science, where probably we would say when a certain university enrolls students a certain percentage should be reserved for women. “But we expect the institutions to be awake to the fact that gender is also an issue in science and technology,” said Monngakgotla. The Southern African Development Community ( SADC), which Botswana is a member, has also realised that women are not involved in large numbers in the area of science, technology and innovation and has come up with the Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Initiative aimed at attracting women to pursue science related courses.
Monngakgotla says Botswana is taking part in the initiative. The country has also tried other initiatives such as the annual National Science Week. “We have made an effort that during the National Science Week we have a special day dedicated to activities focusing on women, thanks to the added sensitisation on gender inclusivity under the SGCI.”
Mathodi says in 2019 they identified successful women in the area of science who were perceived as role models to speak to young girls in science during the National Science Week. This was meant to motivate young girls to participate in science.
But this year due to the COVID- 19 pandemic the event might not take place. “We try to document success stories of women in Botswana in an effort to encourage young girls to participate in science,” said Mathodi.
An effort is also being made by local universities such as the Botswana International University of Science and Technology, who are targeting the girl child through tailor made programmes meant to attract young girls into taking science- related courses at the university.