Despite increased female enrollment in STEM education, women's labor force participation in STEM fields remains low in the Arab world, Jordan included. This discrepancy is known as the "MENA paradox” or the “Leaky Pipeline”.
A more diverse STEM workforce, with increased representation of women, can contribute significantly to societal progress.
SDG 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
SDG 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
E: Sustainability in STEM Learning
S: Diversity, Inclusion & Economic Empowerment
G: Ethical Leadership & Institutional Partnerships
Ministry of Education- Jordan - https://www.moe.gov.jo/
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research-Jordan
https://www.mohe.gov.jo/
Economic Modernization Vision
https://www.jordanvision.jo/en
One of the biggest obstacles to Jordanian women entering and staying in the workforce is the absence of effective and strong anti-discrimination laws. At almost 40%, the gender pay gap in the MENA region is among the largest in the world, and one of the reasons the public sector is still preferred is because of salary discrimination against women in the private sector.
Most alarming are the results of multiple studies that demonstrate that, in spite of statistics, girls are often persuaded that they are not smart enough for successful careers in science and technology and that they belong to “geniuses” (usually represented as odd-looking guys).
According to statistics, Jordanian women acquire more STEM degrees than women in the US and Europe, yet a significant question still stands: why don’t Jordanian women have the same opportunities to succeed in the workforce?
For Jordanian women, one of the biggest obstacles to joining and staying in the workforce is society. Prejudice and social perception affect which jobs are more suited for men or women. The conventional idea of women’s reproductive roles or the division of labor in the house and in raising a family is another.
Full Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, The Hashemite University in Jordan.
Associate Professor of Economics, The Hashemite University in Jordan.
Biology graduate and neuroscience research assistant aspiring to become a researcher in biotechnology.
Junior Cyber Security graduated from the Hashemite University - Information Security Officer at JODDB.
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