Women scientists have a vital part to play in scientific leadership and in contributing to Africa’s development and transformation, but they remain substantially under-represented in higher education and in science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, accounting for only 28% of science researchers, while their male counterparts dominate this field with a total of 72% of men engaged in STEM careers. 

This has meant that there is a lack of gendered and diverse perspectives essential to addressing gender dimensions on issues like the burden of infectious diseases, which often disproportionately affect women, according to the World Health Organization.

Cognizant of the gender disparity in STEM, the AESA platform (Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa - a partnership of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)) with support from IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization, undertook a study to examine factors which contribute to or inhibit women from pursuing STEM careers in Africa.
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