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In Nairobi, Dr. Nzambi Matee created a fix for plastic waste using eco-friendly paving blocks. In Kenya, Veronica Okello researches sustainable processes for removing heavy metals from the environment. In Nigeria, Dr. Francisca Okeke studies the effects of solar activity in the ionosphere on earth's magnetic field to support climate solutions and Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam heads research teams working on renewable fuel.听

These are some recent听scientific contributions from African women. Before them, the late biologist Dr. Wangari Maathai, who bagged a Nobel Prize for climate activism, paved the way.听

African women researchers are transforming the continent while functioning as community organizers and entrepreneurs. Yet African women experience significant barriers in the continent鈥檚 research and academic landscape.听

A听听of Health states that in Guinea, a mere 6 percent of researchers are women. African institutions have poor systems for examining and ensuring the representation of women and lack strategies for supporting women鈥檚 work-life balance. In addition, existing employment processes advantage men. Compared to women in other regions, cultural and gender norms and unequal education further limit African women who manage a greater percentage of domestic duties.

Without African women, research excludes issues relevant to women worldwide and causes bias in research conclusions. Female researchers can provide unique perspectives and novel problem-solving methods, resulting in more complete and inventive answers. Climate change, which disproportionately affects Africa, further accentuates the disparity experienced by African women scientists, who are more active than men in the agricultural, health, and environmental sectors鈥攁reas that are heavily impacted by climate change.听听听

In her foreword to 鈥淲omen Researching in Africa: The Impact of Gender,鈥� Dr. Tirsit Woldeyohanes writes of her childhood in Ethiopia: 鈥淔emales who strive to be independent and go outdoors are derided and called critical and discouraging names. These hurdles from society have the power to compromise girls鈥� ability to learn and achieve higher education.鈥澨�

Male researchers in Africa have greater representation, produce more research, publish more papers, and achieve positions of greater seniority, securing senior roles faster than women researchers.听

Men are also better paid. A 2020 World Economic Forum report found that sub-Saharan African women earned 68 percent of what their male counterparts earned. UN Women reported women earn 21 percent less than men in East and South Africa. There is reportedly a pay gap for women of up to 77 percent in Nigeria.听

Lack of financing

The UN maintains that resolving gender gaps is essential to achieving thriving, sustainable societies. To achieve progress in gender equality, we must understand why an inadequate number of female researchers in Africa exists.

The journal听听points to the lack of financing as particularly relevant in explaining why African women scientists face more challenges in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) than women in high-income nations. At the heart of this disparity is听inadequate government funding, which听Fadhel Kaboub, president of the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity, traces to colonialism鈥檚 continuing suppression of African economies.

African countries are impoverished by external debt. They are a primary source of low-priced, raw materials for wealthier nations yet must consume the expensive industrialized results from those nations.听

These nations are destinations for discarded technologies and products, exacerbating issues of environmental degradation. Against this backdrop, African women must overcome tremendous limitations to sustain research careers, but there is hope.

One example of hope can be found in Nigeria, Africa鈥檚 most populous nation. In 2012, Nigeria implemented a听Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) policy with the mainstreaming, increase, and incentivization of women in STI as an objective. Expanding mentorship opportunities was a strategy in the policy.听

鈥淚n some parts of the Eastern region [of Nigeria], they don鈥檛 believe that a woman can take decisions, talk less of being able to help the nation. Thankfully, my father was a teacher, and his orientation helped a lot鈥� I am grateful for the opportunity to mentor a lot of female scientists,鈥� notes Dr. Okeke, in a听.

Nigeria must fully execute its plan to increase the number of women scientists. More African countries must follow, harnessing networking and career-building opportunities, combating sociocultural barriers, and providing funding support.听