Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has called for intensified efforts towards eliminating the long-standing biases and gender stereotypes, which have limited the progress of girls and women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
Governor Obaseki said this in commemoration of the International Day for Women and Girls in Science marked every February 11 by the United Nations (UN) women.
Obaseki noted that bridging the gender gap in STEM disciplines is vital to achieving sustainable development in any country of the world.
The governor, however, celebrated innovative women who despite the gender biases and inequality, have broken new grounds in science and technology, commending them for braving the many cultural hurdles to stamp their names in history.
Obaseki said: “We must leverage this year’s International Day for Women and Girls in Science to honour our women who have contributed to the growth of science and technology across the globe, as well as educate young girls on its importance and encourage them to emulate such role models.
“It is quite worrying that though women have made tremendous progresses towards increasing their participation in science-related fields, they are still under-represented as a result of gender biases or cultural stereotypes. This calls for all hands to be on deck to change the narrative. Globally, we need to do more and encourage our female children to strive to be the best in whatever they aspire to be, especially in science disciplines.”