Strategies we can use to increase number of women in STEM fields

Fostering networks and creating collaboration among women in STEM, will provide support systems and opportunities for professional growth. [iStockphoto]

Kenya, like many countries, grapples with gender disparities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. According to data provided by Engineers Board of Kenya, the body that registers engineers and accredits engineering programmes offered by universities in Kenya, out of 2,501 registered professional engineers, only 211 are women, representing a paltry 8.4 per cent.

Increasingly in sub-Saharan Africa, women researchers constitute a mere 18-33 per cent. These low numbers have been mainly attributed to gender inequality and discrimination.