In this World Economic Forum article, World Bank Country Director, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, writes about the gross under-representation of girls in STEM fields within Sub-Saharan Africa. She unpacks the importance of attracting more female representation to the sector, reasons why there aren’t enough women in STEM related careers in Southern Africa, and explains what needs to be done to achieve this.
Her recommendations include scaling up interventions that work, such as those that:
- Focus on improving access to and quality of pre-tertiary education
- Focus on improving gender-responsive STEM education
- Provide mentorship and training to girls and women in STEM fields
- Promote flexible and family-friendly workplace policies
Further reading on including girls into STEM fields: