A network of young women in natural science and technical specialties «Women in STEM» has been created in Kyrgyzstan

At a seminar which was held in Bishkek on November 22nd and 23rd , young women and girls of natural science, technical specialties created their network to exchange experience, scientific and technical information, and promote the role of women working in these areas. The seminar was held as part of the project “Empowering and enhancing the role of women in STEM, implemented by the “Roza Otunbayeva Initiative” Foundation, WPF, with financial support from the Democratic Commission of the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic.

 

Workshop participants has noted that Kyrgyzstan has experienced the lowest involvement of women in science and engineering over the years of independence. Although the number of technical faculties in the country has increased several times, but the number of girls studying at these faculties is steadily falling. This is due both to the reduction of scientific research and industrial enterprises, the underdevelopment of high technologies in the country, and most importantly, the spread of cultural stereotypes in society about a woman scientist or engineer as “non-female” specialties.

 

Participants of the seminar, female students and teachers of technical universities, as well as young employees of scientific institutions stressed that in their daily work and studies they have difficulties with the lack of teaching aids and special literature, visual aids and basic equipment in educational laboratories. The girls noted difficulties with access to scientific or special literature, as well as the opportunity to publish in scientific journals abroad, which causes feeling of isolation, lack of communication with the international scientific community.

 

The seminar highlighted the importance of the project “Empowerment and Enhancing the Role of Women in STEM”, within which a set of events is being held. They are the Competition of Innovative Projects, training online courses on leadership, information and communication technologies, technical English and communication skills; establishing contacts with foreign experts and scientific institutes.

 

During the seminar, participants had the opportunity to get acquainted with the experience of leading women scientists from Germany, Great Britain, and the USA. Each performance was accompanied by interesting discussions, topical issues were raised along with ways to solve them.

 

At the end of this seminar, it was decided to create a network of “Women in STEM”, which will unite girls on the social network platform at the first stage, with the subsequent implementation of the network on the STEM project page. This network will be the main center for coordinating the work of all networks, the main task of which will be to attract young girls to engineering specialties and science. Participants discussed the creation of a network, identified specific goals and objectives, and a strategic plan for the development of this network.

 

For more information go to the website www.roza.kg or call: 0312663538