A LEAKY PIPELINE

Science drives progress, innovation and the solutions to the challenges of our time. Yet, despite the critical role women play in research and development, their participation in science remains unequal worldwide. Globally, women make up just one-third of researchers, a figure that has remained largely stagnant over the past decade. The gap is even wider in senior positions, leadership roles and cutting-edge fields such as physics, engineering and technology.

To highlight this disparity and promote action, the United Nations designated February 11 as the ‘International Day of Women and Girls in Science’. Celebrated annually, the day emphasises the importance of full and equal access for women and girls to scientific education, research opportunities and professional careers. It is both a celebration of achievement and a call to address the structural barriers that continue to limit women’s participation in STEM fields.

In Pakistan, the pattern is familiar. Last year, experts in Islamabad gathered to send a clear message: the world still has far to go. In a UNESCO driven panel, teachers and students heard that “women account for only 33 per cent of researchers globally”. This stark statistic – echoed by UNESCO and international studies – underscores a persistent reality: even as girls increasingly enroll in science, they remain underrepresented in careers. Globally, women earn only about 35 per cent of STEM degrees, a share that has stagnated over the past decade. In Europe and North America, women still make up barely a third of those entering science and engineering programmes. The contrast is striking: some Arab countries report majorities of STEM graduates who are women (e.g. Syria, Tunisia and other Arab states exceed 50 per cent), yet overall women remain a minority. In OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, only 31 per cent of first year STEM university students are female, compared to over 75 per cent in fields like education or health. And even where education levels are high, employment gaps persist – for example, OECD data show 71 per cent of male STEM graduates work in STEM jobs, versus only 43 per cent of female STEM graduates.

Against the wind

Barriers to women in science are multifaceted. Cultural expectations often steer girls toward traditionally ‘acceptable’ fields like medicine, teaching or humanities. Family pressures, early marriage and household responsibilities frequently curtail academic ambitions. Even when women pursue STEM degrees, they face systemic obstacles: limited mentorship, workplace bias, unsafe fieldwork environments and inadequate institutional support. Harassment, conscious or unconscious bias and the lack of flexible policies make it difficult for women to remain in the profession.

Despite these hurdles, Pakistani women have achieved global recognition in science. For example, Dr Nergis Mavalvala, MIT physicis, co led the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) team that first detected gravitational waves in 2016 – a Nobel winning project – earning her global fame. Pakistan’s Prime Minister at the time called her “a source of inspiration for Pakistani scientists”. Similarly, Dr Asifa Akhtar, Molecular Biologist, became the first international woman to serve as Vice President of the Max Planck Society’s Biology & Medicine section. In the US and UK diaspora, Dr Maheen Adamson works as a senior research scientist at Stanford’s School of Medicine and Dr Tasneem Zahra Husain has gained renown as a theoretical physicist at Harvard/Cambridge. In tech, Maria Abrar was named one of Canada’s Top 25 Women in AI and today designs data science at Meta’s Reality Labs, while Sundas Khalid is a Google data scientist lauded as a ‘trailblazer’. Public health is represented by Dr Sania Nishtar, a cardiologist who served as WHO Commissioner and as Special Assistant to Pakistan’s Prime Minister. These role models – many with overseas careers – show Pakistani women can reach the highest levels of science and technology.

Against this global backdrop, Pakistan’s experience reflects both progress and persistent gaps. Pakistani women now constitute a near majority of STEM undergraduates – about 46 per cent of STEM students in higher education are female – yet far fewer enter the professions. According to Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC), some 1.4 million women and 1.6 million men are enrolled in university STEM programmes. In fields like engineering or applied sciences, however, women remain rare. UNESCO data show Pakistani women make up only 31 per cent of university students in the natural sciences (up from 20 per cent a few years earlier) and dismally small shares of ICT (6 per cent) and agriculture (<1 per cent) students. In the workforce, the gender imbalance is even sharper: women hold just 4.9 per cent of engineering jobs and 3 per cent of power sector jobs. These figures reveal a ‘leaky pipeline’ – nearly half the population is female, nearly half of STEM students are women, yet women occupy only a tiny fraction of STEM careers. Yet for every success story, countless girls face barriers from the start. Pakistan’s patriarchal society still encourages girls toward traditional roles.

A drop in the ocean

Families and communities often view ‘STEM’ as unfit for women, pushing girls into medicine or teaching instead. Parental influence looms large: girls are frequently guided into nurturing fields and away from ‘hard’ sciences. One study notes that at each educational stage girls receive different advice (mothers’ and fathers’ influence) and that only by pre-university can interventions effectively counteract the bias. In rural and conservative areas, even attending co-educational labs or field trips can be socially discouraged. According to UNESCO, many young Pakistani women feel family or cultural expectations dissuade them from advanced STEM study, even if they have aptitude.

Economic and institutional obstacles compound the problem. Safe transport and campus security are major issues: long or dangerous commutes lead families to limit girls to nearby schools – which often have no science labs at all. Public schools, especially in remote regions, frequently lack even the most basic lab equipment, electricity or internet for STEM education. As a result, many girls drop out before college. For instance, facilities for women’s hygiene are often inadequate, which can force girls out of school during menstruation. The combined effect is stark: UNESCO notes that by higher secondary level in Pakistan only 26 per cent of university students in STEM are female, versus 51 per cent of men. Aided by Medicine’s exceptional status (women dominate pre-med streams), this disparity would be even worse if not for the tens of thousands studying biology/medicine.

Systemic bias and harassment are chronic as well. Female students and professionals frequently encounter a ‘chilly climate’ in labs and classrooms. Teachers may call on boys more often, assume girls will drop out or hold lower expectations of them.

A recent survey of Pakistani women academicians found widespread reports of workplace harassment and lack of support. Respondents described “lack of support at the workplace in terms of transport & day care” and noted that harassment (sexual and verbal) is common, especially in public-sector institutions. Institutional policies exist but enforcement is uneven. With such few female mentors or leaders, young women often feel isolated. One study emphasises that female role models are scarce, reinforcing the stereotype that science careers are “not for women”. In fact, UNESCO’s Kar Hung Antony Tam has stressed that retaining women in science requires mentorship and pathways – not just enrollment boosts.

Pakistan’s government and universities have taken some steps to improve the situation. For example, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) reports that hundreds of female faculty and administrators have undergone leadership training under its Women Leadership and Mentoring programmes. In response to Mavalvala’s LIGO success, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Science & Technology to develop a framework “facilitating Pakistani scientists”. More recently, UNESCO and Pakistan’s National Commission have partnered to inspire girls – hosting panels where accomplished women share their stories. These discussions aim to provide guidance and challenge stereotypes, exactly the kind of support UNESCO says is needed. At the grassroots level, NGOs and STEM clubs have launched girls’ workshops and coding camps. The federal government’s 2022 National STEM policy and related initiatives (e.g. STEAM Pakistan labs for girls) signal an intent to make science education more gender-inclusive.

Despite this, data show change is slow. Women’s share of STEM faculty, research grants and leadership posts remains tiny. In Pakistan today, women hold just 4.9 per cent of engineering jobs and under 2 per cent of top R&D (Research and Development) positions. By one measure, fewer than 1 in 20 engineers or scientists is female. And when women work in science, many leave after marriage. A UNESCO report notes that in some Arab countries (and the same holds true in Pakistan), “Once women get married, many don’t go back to work and that’s a loss for the system”. This mirrors the ‘brain waste’ phenomenon: highly educated women unable to translate qualifications into careers due to family or social pressures.

The global context

Pakistan’s challenges are not unique. Across South Asia, female enrollment in secondary school is improving but family duties and early marriage still truncate many girls’ education. For example, neighbouring Bangladesh and India also struggle with low female STEM workforce participation despite having large numbers of women graduates. In contrast, some Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan) have achieved near parity – in fact UNESCO reports over 50 per cent of research positions in Central Asia are held by women. The Middle East is a curious mix: while countries like Qatar and Jordan boast 50–60 per cent women STEM graduates (often encouraged by local cultural respect for education), traditional barriers still limit their roles post-graduation (limited tech industries, gender segregated workplaces). Europe shows variation too: Greece, Iceland and Poland have >40 per cent female STEM graduates, but even in those countries far fewer women enter engineering fields. Northern Europe – Sweden, Finland and Germany – still have large gender gaps in STEM (often over 30 percentage points difference between genders).

Statistical studies shed further light. UNESCO’s latest data confirm only 31 per cent of all researchers worldwide are women. Worse, regions like South and West Asia (including Pakistan) lag far below parity (under 27 per cent female researchers). In science/engineering jobs globally, the gender gap exceeds 20 points in many nations. Researchers have even named phenomena like the ‘Matilda Effect’ – where women’s scientific contributions are minimised or credited to men – to explain why fields remain male-dominated. Stereotypes, lack of funding and networking and hostile work environments are repeatedly cited. A review by UN Women notes that across countries women in STEM face common obstacles: gender bias in hiring and pay, sexual harassment and family responsibilities without institutional support.

Overcoming the divide

Experts stress that change requires sustained, multifaceted efforts. Improving access – girls-only schools with science labs, safe transport, scholarship programmes – can help increase enrollment. But retention depends on culture: schools and universities must actively encourage female students. As one panellist put it, women often feel they must “choose between family and career,” but with support “it is possible and rewarding to have both”. Mentorship is key: witnessing women scientists succeed can counteract stereotypes. Industry, too, must open doors – for instance, by hosting women-friendly internships or ensuring lab safety. On policy levels, stronger enforcement of anti-harassment laws and gender quotas in research funding have been proposed. Economists note that closing the gender gap in science isn’t just fair – it boosts innovation and growth. The IMF finds that fully harnessing women’s talent can raise GDP significantly.

As Pakistan marks this International Day, its young women and girls stand at a crossroads. The nation produces tens of thousands of science graduates each year and nearly half of them are women. If Pakistan can keep these women in the pipeline – through college and into careers – the payoff could be enormous. As one UNESCO speaker said, investing in girls’ STEM isn’t only about equality, “it is about unlocking innovation, broadening perspectives and driving sustainable progress”. By celebrating pioneers, by funding girls’ labs and by dismantling rigid gender norms, Pakistan and the world can finally move toward a future where no talent in science goes to waste.

The writer is a subeditor at You! Magazine. She can be reached at [email protected]