LocationsUNDP: Empowering Women in Kyrgyzstan's Digital Future through STEM4ALL
October 27, 2023
Bishkek, 27 October 2023 – Today United Nations Development Programme with the Ministry of Education and Science organized a conference to discuss STEM needs of women in Kyrgyzstan. The conference held at the Kyrgyz State Technical University in Bishkek, discussions will contribute to promoting gender equality and digital transformation in Kyrgyzstan.
The conference featured distinguished speakers, panel discussions, and a STEM Fair, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and the exploration of opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Sharapatkan Mazhitova, Member of Parliament highlighted the importance to harness technologies and innovations and use them in our daily lives. “STEM plays a great role in education as they can improve lives of people. We need to ensure that we create equal rights for all, including women and people with disabilities. STEM can be used to tackle Climate Change, enhance digital transformation, and accelerate gender equality in Kyrgyzstan. Recent law on Education lays a solid background for participation of girls in STEM, especially in rural and remote areas.”
Almaz Isanov, the head of political and economic research of the Administration of President delivered an inspiring speech “STEM is not a hobby, it is economic driver which need to support the state policy. Economic wind has changed its direction. The wind has moved to Asia: Japan, South Korea, China. The change occurred due to technological revolution. If you want to be the part of world economy, you need to be STEM professional. STEM is a savior for landlocked countries as Kyrgyzstan.”
Bekzhan Supanaliev, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, said "Kyrgyzstan's digital future relies on nurturing a diverse and skilled workforce. To do that, we need to empower women to excel in STEM fields. The Ministry of Education and Science works to transform education through strengthen STEM subjects in our schools."
In coming months, UNDP will launch the platform “Mentoring Her”, the platform funded by the Government of Japan, as part of the global UNDP Digital X program. In 2022, we will complete a project to promote digital technologies in the BalaTech countries with the support of the Japanese government.
Hideki Goda, Ambassador of Japan to the Kyrgyz Republic highlighted the importance to promote partnership in STEM. “Kyrgyzstan like Japan can gain from eliminating barriers to STEM fields among women. Given the close link between STEM workers and innovation, encouraging women to pursue STEM careers could boost growth potential. Last year, we supported the first IT programming Olympiad “Balatech” for youth gathering more than 50,000 school children who improved their IT skills through playing games.”
BalaTech made learning experience fun and engaging through gamification. UNDP supported the development of the application that offers 10 learning modules with 175 challenge-based tasks that users can interact with free of charge. Completed tasks earn participants bonus points to unlock the next level of games with diverse virtual settings where they continue their learning adventure.
However, in Kyrgyzstan only one-third of women actively use the Internet and are computer literate. The proportion of women with higher education in STEM fields is 31.3%. This is clearly insufficient for women's active participation in digital transformation processes. Increased STEM employment will lead to higher wages and productivity, which in turn can help reduce the gender pay gap.
Alexandra Solovieva, UNDP Resident Representative, emphasized this point, stating, "We must recognize that women's participation in STEM is not just a matter of equality; it's an economic imperative for Kyrgyzstan's future. STEM employment may help close the gender pay gap and lead to a wage rise and higher productivity."
The study shed light on the status of women in STEM fields, outline the challenges they face, and present recommendations to bridge the gender gap in the country's digital workforce. This research underscored the critical role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in shaping the future of work. According to the World Economic Forum, over 90% of future jobs will require digital skills, making a strong STEM foundation crucial. However, women remain underrepresented in these fields, which is a global concern.
The "STEM4All" conference yielded a comprehensive set of recommendations to break down barriers and facilitate women's engagement in STEM fields in Kyrgyzstan.
These recommendations address self-esteem, societal attitudes, and educational improvements:
- Education System: Key actions include improving career counseling services, introducing student-centered learning, enhancing STEM infrastructure, providing higher pay for STEM teachers, and improving the qualifications of STEM educators. These areas require careful study and debate to develop effective policies that will promote gender equality and quality STEM education throughout the education system.
- Early Integration of STEM in Curricula: Integrating STEM subjects into preschool and school curricula is crucial to nurture a strong foundation and interest in STEM from a young age. This approach allows children, especially girls, to develop a solid foundation and interest in STEM fields, which contributes to their long-term involvement and success in STEM. By exposing them to these subjects early, we pave the way for a brighter future in STEM for all.
- Support and self-confidence: A critical recommendation focuses on building support networks to enhance the self-confidence of girls pursuing STEM. Initiatives should target not only individuals but also their close support systems, including parents, teachers, and influential figures like fathers, to challenge gender stereotypes and affirm that a STEM career doesn't conflict with familial roles.
Tailored Approaches: Recognizing varying attitudes and perspectives within different social groups, the conference advises tailored interventions. For example, it prioritizes addressing the reservations of non-STEM men about women in STEM and emphasizes reaching out to fathers/guardians. The goal is to create an inclusive STEM environment where gender equality and quality education are promoted from an early age, setting the stage for an equitable future in STEM.
These recommendations, when implemented collectively, form a roadmap towards nurturing a diverse and empowered workforce that will not only bridge the gender gap but also contribute significantly to Kyrgyzstan's digital transformation. More information can be downloaded from STEM4ALL for Future of Work | United Nations Development Programme (undp.org)
This event is a unique opportunity for students, professionals, companies, and civil society organizations to discuss and promote gender equality in STEM fields and to learn about the latest trends and opportunities in technology, science, and innovation.
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STEM4ALL is a UNDP and UNICEF platform to accelerate progress towards gender equality and increase the representation of women and girls in STEM to meet the workforce needs of tomorrow in Europe and Central Asia. STEM4ALL is designed for a wide audience, from women and girls to policy makers and private sector representatives. It is a virtual, public forum for public education, research and news promoting gender equality and inclusion in STEM in the region and beyond.
Closing the gender gap in STEM education and careers is essential to achieving gender equality and creating infrastructure solutions and services that benefit people around the world. Today's world is in urgent need of scientific and technological solutions. To do this, we need half of the world's talent. We need women and girls.
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UNDP is the United Nations' global development network, an organization that promotes change and connects countries with knowledge, experience and resources to help people build better lives. We are on the ground in some 170 countries and territories, working with them to find solutions to global and national development challenges. As they build local capacity, they draw on UNDP staff and our wide range of partners.
Partnership Contact:
Jenny Jenish kyzy (Ensi Tszie), Head of Experimentation of UNDP Accelerator Lab, ensi.tszie@undp.org; Acclab.kg@undp.org
Media Contact:
Ainagul Abdrakhmanova, UNDP Communications Manager - ainagul.abdrakhmanova@undp.org
