A presentation on 'practical actions to increase the numbers and experiences of African women in science' by Oley Lucretia Clara Dibba-Wadda at the Global Forum on Women in Scientific Research (GoFoWiSeR), Dakar, Senegal 2019

1. Your Excellences, Distinguishedguests, Ladies andgentlemen, Goodmorning
It is an honor, privilege andabsolute pleasuretobe speaking today inthis Global
Forum of Women in Scientific Research, and to share my views on “how Africa
should come up with approaches and mechanisms to increase the number of
women scientistsacross the continent”. I will also share some practical actions
that the African Development Bank is supporting to increase the number of
women scientists.
I take thisopportunitytothank and congratulatetheorganizersofthisimpressive
forum, which is being held over the next couple of days. Your efforts in putting
together such a thoughtprovoking eventis commendable becauseweall know the
value added of encouraging the promotion of women in scientific research and the
benefits will encourage new solutions and expand the scope of research in Africa.
Everyoneshould considerthis if the global communityis seriousaboutreaching the
next set of the development goals to improve the lives of Africans.

2. First of all, I am pleased and reassured to see, many African women leaders in
science from across the continent who are committed to championing STEM and
STI in the emerging Fourth IndustrialRevolution. Reassured becauseas themother
of a young female scientist, I know exactly whatsheis going through as a young 24
year old passionate about nothing else other than scientific research; yet
somewhatstrugglingbecauseof limited and approachablefemale AfricanScientific
researchers she can look up to as role models. Although I am often tempted to
come to her aid, I am sadly not familiar with the technical terminologies and tools
to supporther. As a result, I am limited to assistin areas that I know best – be her
biggest cheerleader, Support her to build self-confidence; how to express herself
in non-communication skills, especially as sheembarks on trying to pursueher PhD
research on the Malaria vaccine. And, there areso many like Katty, who need such
mentoring support and likeminded role models

3. We know that a number of mechanisms have been put in place to promote
women in STEM in various countries. Yet, despite some of these efforts,
discouragingly, the proportion of women in science is quite low and reports of
gender discrimination in this area are still rife. The approach of getting more
women to study scienceand choosea scientific career needs reframing to focus on
the coreconcernshinderingtheir involvementin STEMand STI.To addressthisgap,
it is critical to reframe the policy ecosystems guiding gender equality in STEM and
STI, increase gender oriented resources in science education, and expand
partnerships.

4. In addition, we are all aware of the current status of womenin Science;
however, let us take stock of some of these figures:
Female researchers in science are less than 30% globally and this indicates that
serious barriers remain for the full participation of women in STEM. While a
growing number of women are enrolling in university, many opt out at the highest
levels required for a research career reducing the number of women scientists.
Consequently, participation of women in science in Africa and beyond faces major
issues vis a vis; 1) weak economic states in which low income, and poverty affects
women more; 2) gender-based discrimination in which women are lesser
encouraged to pursue science as compared to men; 3) high drop-outs of females
compared to males; 4) cultural barriers including early marriages; 5) restricted
access to education and poor learning outcomes; 6) Lip services on the importance
of women’s participation in STEM, STI and Research

5. This calls for the need to strengthen education systems to harness women in STEM
as part of the essential role in human capital development for sustainable
development.
There is a need to address the current state of low numbers of women in these
areas increasing thesenumbers in sciencewill enhance their ability to apply critical
interrogation, thinking, creativity and innovation leading to economic growth and
enhanced creation of job opportunities for other women and youth in particular.
More over, harnessing a critical mass of women with the capacity to innovate will
address the current concerns of quality workforce for Africa’s sustainable
industrialization.

6. A call for boosting women in STEM in Africa
At the heart of Africanwomeninscience for development, is theneed to increase
the real value of science budgets, expand undergraduates’ intakes in STEM,
increase academic staff turnover in these fields, and research facilities supportto
train more women in science across the continent.
As the backbone of socio-economic transformation, wemustall promote science
for girls and women relentlessly in our governments and institutions through
targeted investments, proportionate allocation of resources, and policy reforms.
Currently,policymakersarein a dilemma on how to make scienceeducation more
affordable and qualitative for women. A possible avenue to tackle this challenge
will be to strengthen existing regulatory frameworks, and promote proper
governancein variousreforms and steering policies. This could includepolicies that
target increase training of women in science with for instance the provision of
scholarships and availability of adequate research funds to women in science in
order to help train more women in STEM and STI.

7. On our part, we are taking bold steps. The African Development Bank realizes
this importance and is fully committedto catalyzing girls and women in STEM to
build their capacities to actively participate in Africa’s transformation through
increased investments in STEM and STI, and through the promotion of science
policy dialogues that will increase the number of women scientists across the
continent:
I must underscore the importance of African governments and development
partners’ roles to consider innovative mechanisms to supportSTEM, as the world
is evolving rapidly; moreso with the 4th
industrial revolution. This will only happen
if we enhance the relevance of national and regional innovation policies, for
example, African governments should develop policy frameworks that promote
gender equity, and a strong infusion of science education in support of women
scientists.
We need to explore avenues of utilizing information communications and
technology as a tool for the management and quality of delivery of education and
research in Africa. As a result more women in these career areas can expand the
platform of knowledge and skills sharing and exchange to practically address real-
life situations in Africa.

8. In line with this, the African Development Bank has prioritized investments in
STEM and STI with a deliberate focus on increasing the number of women
scientists across the continent; for instance:
In 2008, the Bank launched its Higher Education Science and Technology Strategy,
to among other things, support linking higher education, science and technology
(HEST) to the productive sector.
In addition, the Bank has reinforced its effortin higher education particularly in the
areas of STI focusing on skills development for competitiveness and employment
opportunities, value for money, accountability, efficient and inclusive service
delivery and financial and social systems that ensureinclusion and social cohesion
in Africa.
The Bank is equally running a number of projects and programs in human capital
development to promote the production of more innovations through science.

9. For example, our support toScience Technology and Skills Development (STSDP)
in Rwanda,
This is a USD 8.4 million ADF Grant that aims to improveskills based in science and
technology, established within the Kigali Institute of Technology (KIST), currently
the College of Science and Technology, a Faculty of Architecture and Environment
Design (FAED). The project also promotes girls in STEM as well as skills and
knowledge transfer through scholarships, professional internships and
Partnerships.
The project delivers quality science and technology training; provides equal
opportunity programs; as well as project management. The Bank has sponsored
190 girls from less privileged families to pursue science, technology, and ICT at
tertiary level under this project by covering tuition fees and living allowances. A
hundred and eighty four girls completed undergraduatecourses. The Bank is also
sponsoringthegirls’ six-month internship, aimed to provideopportunityto acquire
hands-on skills. Of the 184 girls who graduated, 160 have undergone their six-
month internships in their area of specialization.

10. The Bank also supported a Tanzania TVET program focusing on the technical
vocational educationand training sub-sector andonteacher education. The aim
is to contribute to efforts to increase the supply of skilled labor and build capacity
for teacher education in STI and STEM, focusing on women and girls. This program
has led to increased access to and improved quality and equity in TVET, as well as
improvements in secondary and primary teacher education in science and
mathematics. Eight thousand trainees have been trained, most of them being
women. In addition, there has been an expanded and extensive use of ICT in
instruction at 53 institutions; and increased capacity for teaching, policy
formulation, planning and quality assurancein technical vocational education and
teacher education.

11. Finally, our Coding for Employment flagship initiative has over the last 6 months
beentrainingyouthsin ICTand digitalsskills withthe aim of unleashing Africa’s
next generation of digital innovators. The initiative has been l aunched in
Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, Cote D’Ivoire, and has thus far trained more
than 2000 peoplemostof whomhavejoined the labor market. Outof this number,
40% are women. The programis also training female only cohorts to increase the
number of women in ICT and digital market in Africa. I would thus suggest the
establishment and or supportexisting institutions for women to pursueSTEM. On
Monday, wesigned a Memorandumof Understanding with the African Instituteof
Mathematical Science (AIMS) and as we work out on the operational modalities of
this agreement, a strong emphasis from the Bank will be to recommend the
increase the quota system of women and girls in AIMS programs.

12. In conclusion, let me stress that:
No one institution or government can do it all. We have a collective responsibility
to act and make the case wherever and whenever possible of promoting more
women in scientific research.
Women in STEM are crucial in strengthening institutional and human resource
capacities; institutional capacity development: planning, management and
implementation capacity; strengthening linkages between STEM/STI and
productive sectors, policymaking, design and management.
Collectively, we need to amplify women’s contributions in knowledge
production/generation and management in STEM in support of Africa’s economic
transformation to aid in leapfrogging the 4th
industrial revolution.
Moving forward it is of paramount importance to harness women’s agency in the
areas of scientific capacity to advance the ideals of UN 2030 Agenda, AU Agenda
2063 and national development visions.

13. I would like to assure you of the African Development Bank’s continued support
and of my own personal commitment to be on the frontline of investing in STEM
and STI for women and girls and will continue to work with you and other
stakeholders to facilitate the adoption of policies conduciveto the development of
STI and STEM to create adequate conditions for the mobilizing.
I wish you fruitful deliberations over the next two days.
Thank you and I look forward to working with all of