Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in STEM for a Knowledge-Driven Future

Innovation methods

Data sources

SDG(s)

Sustainable Development Goal(s)

4Quality education

5Gender equality

8Decent work and economic growth

Disclaimer:

Please be aware that the content herein has not been peer reviewed. It consists of personal reflections, insights, and learnings of the contributor(s). It may not be exhaustive, nor does it aim to be authoritative knowledge.

Title

Please provide a name for your action learning plan.

Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in STEM for a Knowledge-Driven Future

Challenge statement

Challenge type: If you are working on multiple challenges, please indicate if this is your "big bet" or "exploratory" challenge. Please note: we ask you to only submit a maximum of 3 challenges - 1x Big Bet, 2x Exploratory. Each challenge must be submitted individually.

BIG BET

Challenge statement: What is your challenge? (Please answer in specific terms: "Our challenge is that...”.)

Our challenge is to overcome the leaky pipeline phenomenon and promote women's sustained participation in STEM fields in Serbia. While there is a relatively high percentage of women in STEM, the drop-out rates and limited representation of women in leadership positions hinder our progress towards achieving gender equality and developing a knowledge-based economy. To address this challenge, UNDP Serbia has adopted new, user-centric approaches, seeking to understand the human perspective behind this issue and propose adequate responses. We have also leveraged alternative data sources like LinkedIn to gain deeper close to real-time insights and monitoring. By taking decisive action to address the leaky pipeline phenomenon, we aim to promote gender equality and create a more inclusive and diverse society. By empowering and retaining talented women in STEM careers, we contribute to building a stronger, more competitive, and future-proof economy for Serbia. Ultimately, overcoming this challenge will unlock the full potential of women in STEM, fostering innovation, economic growth, and social progress in our quest to build a knowledge-driven society that benefits everyone.

Background: What is the history of your challenge? What is causing or driving it? Who is involved? How does the current situation look like? What undesired effects does it produce?

In the top 10 European countries with the largest number of women in STEM, 6 are from Western Balkans, with 47-52% of women in the field. Even though women in Serbia make 60% of the total number of graduated students, based on the data extracted by Cube, they occupy only around 10% of leading and higher paid positions in companies, while they are paid 23% less than their male peers. Increasing the number of women and girls in STEM is important, but it is not enough to solve the gender gap. In Serbia, only 7% of women are negotiating for higher salaries, compared to 57% of men who do the same. The number of women who wish to advance and obtain a higher position in their companies makes only 50% compared to men. Most of them hit the glass ceiling and stay at assistant positions with no decision-making power, most often opting out of entrepreneurial ventures. The gender divide is even larger in the tech sector. Although Serbia has more women participating in IT than the EU average (25% vs. 18%), the higher-ranked and higher-paid jobs are still dominantly occupied by men. Women in the Serbian tech sector hold only 20% of management roles and earn 19% less than men in comparable positions (the same is true for the EU). A positive aspect is that gender equality, in terms of representation of women, in the Serbian ICT sector is improving faster than in the EU, given that the number of women in the sector has increased by 14% annually in the previous seven years, while the number of men by 8%, compared to the EU averages of 6% for women and 4% for men.

Quantitative evidence: What (official) data sources do you have on this challenge that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge? You can add text, a link, or a picture.

As part of our efforts to address this significant initiative, we engaged in a series of research endeavours to gain deeper insights into the matter. Our investigation encompassed a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, which is now accessible on the dedicated Women in STEM page on the AccLab website. https://lab.undp.org.rs/women-in-stem-in-serbia/

Qualitative evidence: What weak signals have you recently spotted that characterizes its urgency? Please provide qualitative information that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge. You can add text, a link, or a picture.

Value proposition: What added value or unique value proposition is your Accelerator Lab bringing to solving this challenge? Why is it your Lab that needs to work on this challenge and not other actors within UNDP, other stakeholders in the country respectively? Why is it worth investing resources to this challenge?

Our Accelerator Lab offers a unique value proposition to tackle the challenge of promoting sustained women's participation in STEM fields in Serbia. With a human-centric approach and innovative data utilization, we understand the lived experiences of women in STEM, tailoring interventions to address their specific needs. Our agility in experimentation enables us to rapidly test and refine strategies, fostering cross-sector collaboration for long-term impact. Investing in this challenge unlocks untapped talent, drives economic growth, fosters gender equality, and enhances overall social progress and well-being. By supporting the Accelerator Lab's user-centric and data-driven solutions, we create a positive ripple effect that extends beyond STEM fields, contributing to a thriving and equitable society for all in Serbia.

Short “tweet” summary: We would like to tweet what you are working on, can you summarize your challenge in a maximum of 280 characters?

Our Accelerator Lab tackles the "leaky pipeline" phenomenon hindering women's sustained participation in STEM fields in Serbia. With human-centric approaches, innovative data use, and cross-sector collaboration, we promote gender equality and build a future-proof knowledge economy!

Challenge classification

Partners

Who are your top 5 partners for this challenge? Please submit from MOST to LEAST important and state Name, Sector and a brief description of the (intended) collaboration.

Please state the name of the Parter:

Government - relevant government bodies and institutions from the public sector Private sector - companies in the STEM/IT field willing to share their data; HR agencies, talent hunting agencies Media outlets willing to partner and promote this topic Academia - faculties and tech schools relevant to the STEM field Local NGOs

What sector does our partner belong to?

Civil Society

Please provide a brief description of the collaboration.

Government - Relevant Institutions from the Public Sector: Collaboration with government institutions responsible for education, labor, and gender equality is crucial to implement policy changes and promoting inclusivity in STEM. Partnering with these entities can lead to the development of supportive educational programs and workplace policies, fostering an environment conducive to women's participation and advancement in STEM fields. Private Sector - Companies in the STEM/IT Field: Engaging with companies in the STEM/IT industry, particularly those willing to share their data, can provide valuable insights into the gender dynamics and challenges within their organizations. Collaborating with HR agencies and talent-hunting agencies can help identify strategies for recruiting and retaining women in STEM careers. Media Outlets: Partnering with media outlets willing to promote this topic can help raise awareness about the importance of women in STEM and the efforts to overcome gender disparities. Leveraging media platforms can amplify the message, reaching a broader audience and encouraging more girls to pursue STEM education and careers. Academia - Faculties and Tech Schools Relevant for STEM: Collaborating with relevant faculties and tech schools in STEM fields allows for the development of tailored interventions and educational programs. Working with educators and academic institutions can help create a more inclusive learning environment that supports and empowers female students pursuing STEM studies. Local CSO/NGOs: Partnering with local NGOs focused on gender equality and education can provide additional resources, expertise, and on-the-ground support for initiatives aimed at promoting women in STEM. These organizations can act as advocates, amplifying the importance of the challenge and driving collective efforts to achieve gender equality in STEM.

Is this a new and unusual partner for UNDP?

Learning questions

Learning question: What is your learning question for this challenge? What do you need to know or understand to work on your challenge statement?

How can the Accelerator Lab effectively address the leaky pipeline phenomenon in promoting sustained women's participation in STEM fields in Serbia? What are the specific barriers women face in their STEM careers, and what user-centric interventions can be implemented to retain talented women, foster gender equality, and build a more inclusive and competitive knowledge-based economy? To work on our challenge statement and lead learning questions, we need to understand: - The root causes behind the leaky pipeline phenomenon and why women tend to drop out of STEM careers. - The specific barriers and challenges faced by women in STEM fields throughout their educational and professional journeys. - Successful strategies and interventions have proven effective in retaining women in STEM careers and advancing them to leadership positions. - The impact of gender stereotypes, societal perceptions, and workplace culture on women's participation in STEM. - The role of cross-sector collaboration in creating an inclusive and supportive environment for women in STEM. - The long-term implications of empowering women in STEM for economic growth, gender equality, and societal progress in Serbia.

To what stage(s) in the learning cycle does your learning question relate?

Explore, Test

Usage of methods: Relating to your choice above, how will you use your methods & tools for this learning question? What value do these add in answering your learning question?

User-Centric Design: Applying user-centric design principles ensures that interventions are tailored to the specific needs, preferences, and challenges faced by women in STEM. By involving the target audience in the design process, solutions become more relevant, accessible, and user-friendly. Testing Interventions: Implementing pilot interventions and testing different strategies can assess their effectiveness in retaining women in STEM. This iterative approach allows for rapid learning and adjustment of initiatives based on real-time feedback and outcomes. Focus Groups/gatherings different stakeholders: Organising focus groups with diverse stakeholders, including female STEM students, professionals, educators, and advocates, can facilitate open discussions and ideation. Focus groups can help identify barriers, potential solutions, and opportunities for collaboration across sectors. Social Media Data Analysis: Utilising social media data analysis (such as LinkedIn data) can help uncover trends, perceptions, and attitudes related to women in STEM. Insights from online discussions and platforms like LinkedIn can guide targeted interventions and communication strategies to challenge stereotypes and promote gender equality in STEM. In-Depth Interviews: Conducting in-depth interviews with women in STEM fields, educators, industry leaders, and policymakers can provide valuable qualitative data. These interviews can reveal personal experiences, challenges, and success stories, offering a deeper understanding of the factors contributing to the leaky pipeline phenomenon.

Existing data gaps: Relating to your choice above, what existing gaps in data or information do these new sources of data addressing? What value do these add in answering your learning question?

These innovative data sources and methods offer significant value by offering a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the challenges that women encounter in STEM fields. Through their ability to address existing data gaps and embrace diverse perspectives, they pave the way for the creation of targeted and impactful interventions, fostering gender equality, retention, and advancement opportunities for women in STEM careers.

Closing

Early leads to grow: Think about the possible grow phase for this challenge - who might benefit from your work on this challenge or who might be the champions in your country that you should inform or collaborate with early on to help you grow this challenge?

During our big bet's growth phase, the following organizations can benefit from our efforts and may be potential champions with whom to collaborate: Collaboration with government bodies responsible for education, labor, and gender equality can aid in the implementation of policy changes that benefit women in STEM. Advocating for inclusive educational programs and workplace regulations can help to create an environment that encourages women to participate in and advance in STEM professions. Engaging with enterprises in the ICT and STEM-related industries can result in the implementation of more inclusive workplace practices. Encouraging corporate executives to advocate for diversity and gender equality can have a knock-on effect, increasing women's presence in leadership positions and assuring equitable opportunities. Colesly working with HR managers, and head/talent hunters on how to implement more inclusive and gender-blind processes in their work. Collaboration with universities, faculities, and schools can lead to the development of STEM programs that meet the requirements of female students. Mentorship and support efforts implemented inside educational institutions can aid in the retention of women in STEM disciplines throughout their academic journey. Women's Rights Advocates and Organizations: Working with women's rights advocates and organizations can help to raise awareness of gender gaps and push for policy reforms to promote inclusivity in STEM professions. STEM Professionals and Role Models: By interacting with successful women in STEM disciplines, you can build a network of role models who can inspire and mentor ambitious women in the business. Their stories and experiences can inspire other girls to seek STEM education and professions. Collaboration with NGOs and foundations dedicated to gender equality and education can give additional funding and support for programs encouraging women in STEM. Raising awareness through media sources and collaborating with notable individuals can assist in distributing information about the relevance of women in STEM and attempts to tackle the leaky pipeline phenomena.

END OF ACTION LEARNING PLAN: Thank you! The form saves automatically and your submission has been recorded. You may now exit this window.