The key to sustainable development is not only an effective partnership between government, civil society and the private sector, but also a scientific approach. Science and technology are fundamental in generating the knowledge necessary to sustainably resolve today’s most pressing problems. And they are especially important when seen from a global viewpoint, as today’s problems are global problems, as well as from a gender perspective.
The role and contribution of female scientists is central to addressing the economic, social and environmental problems that often make current development unsustainable. Diversity of minds creates the richest results, yet women continue to be underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, despite being attracted to the fields in large numbers on university campuses worldwide and being well-trained. It is hard for women to have success in these areas because the demanding hours and the necessity to give a near total commitment to one’s professional life leave them torn between careers and family obligations. The most alarming trend is that women are beginning to fall out of love with science due to this and girls in middle and high schools are falling victim to stereotypes surrounding the sector.
This is a worrying because men and women have different ways of approaching problems in general – for example women are more intuitive and process emotion in a different way – and this applies to the manner in which they work in science. Having both women and men in equal number working in science labs, and thus two different approaches in problem-solving, would mean creating a wider array of results and findings. This is especially important in areas of science like nutrition where women have a natural projection and have the potential to bring an important contribution. Therefore women should be given particular attention in such areas of research where they are especially apt and show natural predispositions. Women are caretakers by nature and therefore can be more suited in many cases to approach certain issues and seek answers and solutions in a unique way.
In order to get more women into the lab, it was suggested that mentoring programs, in which older women in the field encourage and aid younger women, are key. Also, programs addressing younger girls are necessary in breaking down stereotypes and inspiring them to be passionate about science, also by teaching them why science needs women. Finally, a cultural intervention is needed whereby employers are encouraged to offer family services to women in science such as flextime and childcare. All of this should be reinforced by policy, preferably promoted by women themselves in order to better tailor it to their specific needs.
On a broader note, science in general needs to be better embraced by society as a whole in order to maximize its potential in the field of sustainable development. It was suggested that the current era is one of “anti-science” in which many people have become afraid or skeptical of scientific progress – an approach that could push society back in time. Three examples given were the fear of vaccines, genetically modified foods and pasteurized milk. Failing to reverse this lack of faith could create in a cultural tsunami, preventing many from recognizing how science has already bettered individual lives and resulting in a slowdown of scientific progress. In order to avoid this, doctors and scientists need to be trusted and research needs to be free to look for new solutions – and independent of ideology. In addition, politics should serve to facilitate this, especially in terms of investment, and not create obstacles. Finally, it was concluded that going forward or simply standing still is not a given; society can also go backwards. In order to prevent this it is important to remember that change does not come automatically. It comes when people work towards it. Here, both women and science are fundamental.
