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UNESCO Report Urges Targeted Action to Address Stalled STEM Gender Gap

Despite a decade of global efforts, women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, making up just 35% of graduates and facing severe workforce disparities.

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Overview

  • UNESCO's latest Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report highlights a decade-long stagnation, with women comprising only 35% of global STEM graduates from 2018 to 2023.
  • Workforce representation is even lower, with women accounting for just 26% of data/AI employees, 15% in engineering, and 12% in cloud computing roles globally.
  • Key barriers include early math confidence issues, entrenched gender stereotypes, and male-dominated digital transformation efforts, according to the report.
  • The GEM advocacy brief recommends gender-responsive reforms such as school counselling, teacher training, and mentorship programs to support girls in STEM pathways.
  • India leads with a record 40% female STEM enrollment but continues to face challenges like cultural biases and pipeline leakage despite initiatives like Vigyan Jyoti and GATI.