NAIROBI Kenya March 13
As the globe marked the International Women’s day, African Women in Science (AWIS) have called for gender equality in the science field and also encouraged more women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The Women in science reflected on the challenges and barriers they overcame to excel in the science field and celebrated their accomplishments.
Speaking during an online session to celebrate Women’s international Day, International Service for the Acquisition of Biotech Applications (ISAAA) Director and also chairperson African Women for Bioscience and the Africa Science Dialogue Dr. Margret Karembu said the society expects women to make decisions based on science.
“Unfortunately the opportunities for sale for women to advance in science have not been as many, we thank those using affirmative action to get women to advance in science and also go for bioscience and science,” said Dr. Karembu
Dr. Karembu said in daily activities, women use science to make decisions and nutrition of their families depend on them and the decisions they make.
Professor of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology Addis Ababa University Dr. Adey Desta celebrated her science journey where she is currently recovering Nitrogen and phosphorus from human urine to produce an environment-friendly fertilizer.
She has also successfully produced ammonium and phosphate fertilizer from human urine.
Dr. Adey said her journey in science has not been easy, adding that after trying to look for a job after his Bachelors degree in vain, she decided to join the Masters program.
“I survived by looking at the female scientists who were in front of me, members of the science community having someone female in front of you and how they navigate in their path is important,” Dr. Adey noted.
National Commission for Science and Technology in Malawi Catherine Chaweza says the traditional society believes a woman is supposed to be a teacher, a social worker and they are not supposed to do science because science is difficult and science is for men and boys.
“When women mix in the science field, why do we label them as the women scientist, why do we label them as female doctors, female engineers?” Asked Chaweza.
A research scientist at Kenyatta University Dr. Syvia Mutinda said there was a lot of gender disparity, by 2023 there are only 64 women who are Nobel Prize laureates and in most cases those awarded and there have been questions about how they got to the top.
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