The gender gap among scientists in Africa : results from the global survey and recommendations for future work

Abstract

Science in Africa is expanding, but it is important to establish whether the scientific community experiences a gender gap. Where survey results from the project “A Global Approach to the Gender Gap in Mathematical, Computing, and Natural Sciences: How to Measure It, How to Reduce It?” are available for Africa, they indicate that the gender gaps in science are comparable to those in other regions of the world. The major significant survey result for Africa is that approximately 22%of respondents who are women, and 4%of men, report first-hand experience of sexual harassment. Recommendations are quoted from the regional meeting of African scientists at the final conference of the project. The activities of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), and the International Mathematical Union (IMU) in Africa are described, and ways of working for change are recommended.