Why gender issues are causing science friction

Women scientists from the developing world gathered recently in Beijing to discuss at the International Workshop on Women for Science the obstacles and unfair treatment they face in their careers.

There are some factors that unconsciously discriminate against women during their entry and progress in sciences, according to Dr Kaiser Jamil, president of the Third World Organization for Women in Sciences and research director of Indo American Cancer Institute and Research Center.

While women account for more than half of university graduates, only 30 percent of them earn degrees in science and engineering fields. Women account for only 25 to 35 percent of researchers in most developing countries.