61% of STEM graduates in the UAE are women

The UAE is committed to training women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

UNESCO figures indicate that 57% of STEM graduates in Arab countries in some Arab countries are women. In the United Arab Emirates, this percentage rises to 61%. But does society benefit from women’s testimonies? What are the obstacles they face?

“We notice that women give up at different stages in their science career. The first barrier starts in school. When girls are told that science, math and computers are not right for them. This leads girls to lose interest in science in many parts of the world. But not in this region. It is Very interesting because it goes a little against the idea that women are not interested in science, technology and computers because here we see that they are interested in these fields. There is another factor. Parents may think that these fields are not interesting for women and girls. There may be environment, parents, family and teachers that discourage women. There are other obstacles. There is discrimination. At all stages of their careers, women scientists face obstacles,” emphasized Alexandra Balt, Director of Corporate Responsibility at L’Oréal and President of the Laurea Foundationto.

Awards for Young Talents of Women in Science

This year, Dubai hosted the annual ceremony of Women in Science Award for Young Talent from L’Oréal and UNESCO. 14 women from the Middle East and North Africa region were honored.

Two researchers from the United Arab Emirates distinguished themselves for pioneering research and remarkable discoveries in photonics and transplantation.

It is an area that requires a lot of patience and persistence. So the kind of research that we do is very special, and it takes a lot of resources, and a lot of dedication. It is a great honor to be here. The UAE is part of the group of universities that provide the right environment for conducting research,” considered Ghada Deshak, one of the award-winning scholars.

The annual L’Oréal and UNESCO Women in Science Awards for Young Talents were held on February 9 at Expo 2020 in Dubai.

80% of the science team on the UAE mission to Mars are women

In the UAE, women are increasingly present in the medical field and make up at least 35% of the health sector workforce.

“As a woman in the UAE, in the field of science, she encouraged me to get a degree and start a research career. I was encouraged by the government and the different mentors in my university. My research aims to improve organ transplantation in the UAE and the Arab region, because the genomes of the Arab population are underrepresented in a database Global Genomics. Therefore, healthcare in the Arab region faces unique challenges in translating biomedical research into clinical practice.”

on the mission Mars The United Arab Emirates, which kicked off from Dubai, women represented 34% of the staff and 80% of the science team.

“I have had the privilege of working with outstanding women, especially on the science team on the Emirates Mission to Mars. They were part of the mission, not because we imposed a quota, but because we created a level playing field. We cannot compromise on the development of the project, but we must be open to accepting people from different backgrounds who live in the UAE. Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of Advanced Technology and Head of the UAE Space Agency, said that one of the main aspects was the privilege of having access to education, science and mathematics at every stage of my life.”