UNESCO and the African Union Commission are spearheading efforts to create a transformative STEM ecosystem by addressing barriers to STEM in areas such as unequal access, gender gaps, and limited resources.
In Africa, 30% of science professionals are women. Despite progress, women and girls continue to face significant barriers, including cultural biases, limited access to female role models, and insufficient supportive policies. These challenges contribute to stark disparities, exemplified by the fact that women constitute less than 15% of engineering and technology researchers in some West and Central African countries.
Beyond gender, consideration must be given to how socio-economic status, disability, and location impede access to STEM education. Systemic obstacles such as inadequate infrastructure, limited digital access, and financial constraints can marginalize entire groups, thereby limiting the pool of talent and ideas available to advance STEM in Africa.