Data on the daily lives of women scientists in Brazil indicate gender inequality and difficulty with resources
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a scientist in Brazil? And what is it like to be a woman and do science here? In celebration of 15 years of the Program for Women in Science, L'Oréal Brasil carried out a survey, developed by Kite Insights, and gathered responses of 70 winners on the subject. In the questionnaire, answers were mapped on different questions – both regarding the profession, daily life and even personal lives of women who decided to dedicate their lives to research. Everything to show what the main issues they face are and the importance of awards to encourage female empowerment in the scientific world. With the results in hand, we have separated the most relevant data below. Check it out!
Do you, a woman, feel that you have ever been treated with a lack of respect because of your gender? In the questionnaire, 90% of our scientists, yes – which means that the vast majority have experienced, at least occasionally, different forms of discrimination just because they are women. In the survey, for example, 39% of them say they have witnessed or experienced sexual harassment at least once, whether verbal or physical. Furthermore, only ¼ of them believe that women receive the same opportunities as men in their fields.
Another challenging factor for a career in science, according to 44% of our winners, is the lack of access to resources or equipment, in addition to the challenges of securing funding for their studies and research . This aspect further reinforces the importance of investments like those of the Program for Women in Science have for these professionals, guaranteeing extra help with the grant received.
Still regarding career challenges, among many factors mentioned, more than half of the interviewees said they see motherhood as something that will necessarily influence their career. This thought, by the way, is also reflected in another statistic raised by the research: 49% of respondents state that decisions related to this universe – such as the number of children they intend to have or even when to get pregnant, for example – were made thinking mainly about their careers.
The “hole” in the lattes curriculum during the birth of children and the lack of flexibility in the scientific community in relation to this maternity break are some of the challenges faced by mothers and scientists . Thanks to movements like Parent In Science, founded in 2016 by researcher Fernanda Staniscuaski, women are bringing light to this debate in search of concrete changes in the scientific environment.
And, after all, why did these women choose science? When asked about the reason for this choice, only 3% said they had followed in their family's footsteps – which shows how most of them were pioneers in embracing research. Inside their main motivations for exploring this unknown with science, 76% highlighted the opportunity to teach and mentor people, and 73% the potential for great discoveries and innovations. By the way, more than half of those interviewed attribute the success of their careers to individual perseverance.
It is because of these and other particularities of the reality of a woman scientist in the country that Para Mulheres na Ciência has been promoted for 15 years. Through the Program, in partnership with UNESCO in Brazil and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, 103 Brazilian researchers have already been empowered to change the scientific scenario through innovation and gender equity. In this way, it is possible to inspire the women of today to transform the world of tomorrow.
