Has it ever occurred to you that even in a country like Singapore, which prides itself on its culture of equity and meritocracy, there still exists a gender gap in science-related jobs? Indeed, the representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers has been a longstanding issue the world over, and Singapore is no exception.

Despite the government’s efforts to improve gender equality in STEM professions, women are still underrepresented in these fields. In fact, according to data gathered by UNESCO, about half of all Singaporean women who are educated in STEM fields work in non-related professions today. Ironically, from 2005 to 2020, women who graduated from natural, physical, and mathematical science courses at universities occupied an average of 62 per cent of seats during graduation ceremonies.

If you’re a mom and have daughters of your own, you have reason to be concerned. This issue, after all, is especially relevant for women and mothers, who not only face challenges when it comes to balancing work and family responsibilities but also a national culture that is often afraid to discuss gender issues. In this article, we will list the reasons why women should be better represented in STEM professions in Singapore.

To Promote Gender Diversity and Equality

In a world that’s increasingly growing tired of identity politics, should you still care about gender equality at all? Absolutely! One of the most important reasons why women should be well-represented in STEM careers is to prevent the negative effects of underrepresentation on the aspirations of young women. After all, if children don’t see women in STEM careers, they may eventually perpetuate destructive gender stereotypes and biases themselves. This lack of representation can be especially impactful on young, impressionable girls, as it may discourage them from pursuing careers in STEM. In much the same way that girls want to see role models in movies, TV shows, and works of written fiction, they’d also want to see themselves represented in real life.

Increasing the representation of women, especially mothers, in STEM professions can help break down gender stereotypes and encourage young girls to see themselves in these roles, regardless of whether they want to become mothers as well or not. Almost just as important, having more women in STEM careers might just be able to help address existing gender pay gaps and create more equitable workplaces.

To Bring Diverse Perspectives and Skills to the Workforce

Diversity in the workforce is crucial as it brings together people from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Singaporean culture often prides itself in its diversity, meritocracy, and its “innovation ecosystem” but how real could these be if 62 per cent of women graduate from STEM courses in college but only half of these 62 per cent end up occupying STEM positions in the workplace, with the proportion dropping as one looks further up the career ladder?

When women and mothers are underrepresented in STEM professions, it limits the diversity of thought and perspectives that can be brought to the table. This predictably results in a lack of innovation and creativity, which may even lead to problems being tackled in a one-dimensional, male-centric way.

In a world fraught with challenges like climate change, pandemics, water and food insecurity, and biodiversity loss, we need to be able to call upon the best minds to think of solutions—and it shouldn’t matter where these talents from, what their gender is, or what their fertility choices might be.

By increasing the representation of women in STEM careers, the world’s governments, businesses, and non-government organisations will doubtlessly benefit from accessing a wider range of ideas and solutions.

To Address the Talent Shortage in STEM Fields

Singapore has identified industries powered by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to be critical to the sustainability of its economy and to its future growth. That being said, there is still currently a dearth of talent in these fields. Given this, it makes little sense to force qualified people to choose between a career in these fields and motherhood. Women can certainly do both. We already have a pool of talent that we can harness, and these girls are just waiting for a chance to shine and seize the day!

Increasing the representation of women in STEM careers can help address the talent shortage in these professions, no matter if it requires the person to work in a hospital, a BSL 2 lab, a university classroom, a robotics workshop, or an office. As a global hub of commerce and industry, Singapore is in a unique position to be at the vanguard of eliminating gender stereotypes and mainstreaming gender equality in STEM careers, not just within the country, but in the rest of the world as well.

To Improve the Quality of Research and Innovation in Areas That Affect Women Directly

Having a more diverse workforce in STEM professions can lead to better (i.e. more equitable) research and innovation ecosystem. Building on the previous talking point, women, especially mothers, bring unique perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table, which can help research organisations solve complex problems and come up with innovative solutions.

Can you imagine how women might be of help? Consider fields that affect women directly, like maternal health and women’s health. All over the world, there remains gender inequality in healthcare, with underinvestment being observed in areas of health and medicine that are unique to women. This deficiency in focus and funding leads to a scarcity of clinical research and to the slow development of treatments and therapies that are supposed to help with women’s health issues. In fact, the World Health Organization has noted that while women in the European Union generally live longer than men, they are more prone to spending their lives in poor health. This gives us a general preview of the general healthcare challenges that women, even in the developed world, face.

Having more women in STEM careers can lead to better research and innovation that recognises the unique needs of women in healthcare and medicine, particularly in the areas of maternal health and with regard to diseases that affect women specifically. Theoretically, this should lead to better outcomes and treatments for women, which can improve their overall health, well-being, and quality of life.

Better representation of women in STEM careers is not just about fairness. If done earnestly, it should bring diverse perspectives and skills to the workforce, helping Singapore achieve more while also being truer to its mission of driving tech innovation. It can also help in addressing the talent shortage in STEM fields while also bringing into focus issues that affect women directly so that better solutions can be developed for such challenges.  Better representation in STEM is so important that Singaporeans—regardless of gender—must work together to increase the representation of women in STEM professions in the country. By doing so, our Little Red Dot can achieve its goal of becoming a leading tech innovator while creating a more equitable and inclusive society.

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