Press Releases

Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Cyprus 

First and foremost, I warmly congratulate the newly established network “Women in Mathematical Sciences in Cyprus” (WMSC) for taking the initiative to organize this very important event and I thank you for the invitation to be part of this important workshop/event celebrating herstory in Mathematics. It is indeed true, that such initiatives confirm our common concern but also our common aim in that we must step up and take all necessary measures, in order to eliminate the gender gap in the STEAM sector and in today’s framework in Mathematics, and use any possible means to create an environment to promote more women in this field.

The field of mathematics is one of the most dynamic ones that is constantly evolving and is significantly affecting our daily lives without knowing it: from architecture to medicine. However, it is true that the gender gap in mathematics is narrowing but not nearly as fast as it should be. We have a long way to go for gender equal representation that must come through the provision of equal opportunities in the field. 

The current landscape demands better representation. Case in point, an example that I always use more generally to underline the importance of gender mainstreaming in all fields of life: early developments of vehicle air bags were tailored for male bodies, which resulted in avoidable loss of lives among women in car crashes.

That’s one example among countless, and the takeaway is clear: Women need space and a voice in all fields of life and it is our duty to provide it.

Increasing representation of women is not only about making the world safer and more friendly for all. Equal representation also brings diversity of perspective to decisions in all sectors, which is, unquestionably, a competitive advantage and of course it can have an equal impact on the different needs of women and men.

According to the European Institute of Gender Equality (EIGE- 2019) and I quote: “Fewer women (4 %) than men (27 %) work in STEM occupations. In general, proportions of both women and men working in STEM occupations in Cyprus are among the lowest in the EU”.

If we are to examine this from a critical gender perspective and as in most areas of life, one of the reasons for the existence of gender gap goes back to traditional, patriarchal stereotypes and social prejudices exist in our society which in turn prevent women from participating equally in all spectrums of life, including the mathematics. To deconstruct stereotypes, we must start from education and push girls as we push boys into these professions. We must do so, and base our efforts on their skills and not on our personal stereotypes and conscious or unconscious biases. The idea but also the fact that Maths is a male dominated field must be dispelled.

Women have been contributing as much as men in this industry for years but was never celebrated or acknowledged. How many of us know that during World War II women undertook numerous wartime jobs and one of this was to work as human computer calculating ballistics by hand so that the military could determine firing angles. Or that by the mid - 40s, there were around 100 female mathematicians literally performing the function of calculating relentless trajectory calculations by hand.

Yet, these women were never formally recognized as analysts as their male counterparts were and they were asked to describe their job as secretarial.

The examples are many, the message is one: We must recognize women’s achievements and encourage more women to follow in their footsteps.

Women and men must know herstory too. If we do not acknowledge women’s participation then we lack role models and as we know “you can’t be what you can’t see”.

Herstory is how the world is viewed from a female perspective and it is still not as visible as his story is. Herstory should and must be visible through time, it should be out there to be recognized, celebrated and/or to be criticized, to be analyzed. Instead, until today herstory is being presented from a male point of view because men had access everywhere; to a pen, to a paper, to a forum, to employment, to politics. Women’s stories, adding to history, doesn’t mean that we erase his story. It means we enrich history and we understand more of ourselves. Herstory will only help towards this direction too. Knowing and most of all understanding herstory, our story, our country’s story will only have a greater impact on policy making and our daily lives. And this is what you have managed to do through todays workshop and I warmly congratulate you for this.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Gender Equality in all areas of life is high on the political agenda of the government.

As we have identified all the gaps mentioned more generally in the STEAM sector, with the initiative of my office and in collaboration with Cyprus State Scholarships Foundation, President Christodoulides, announced the institutionalization of ten (10) scholarships for undergraduate studies to women aged 30+, who for different reasons did not have the opportunities to study earlier. The scholarships for this year will be given to women who wish to study in the field of innovation and technology.

At the same time, in collaboration with the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Technology are planning the implementation of a series of actions in relation to women and STEAM. More specifically, in order to raise awareness, we plan an online campaign where every month we will be presenting a role model and/or a success story of women in the field. In our effort to work holistically, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education we are designing and planning a series of trainings for educators and career advisors on gender related issues. The aim is to deconstruct unconscious biases that many times work in such ways guiding girls and boys into occupations based on stereotypes and into the so-called traditional women and men’s professions.

In closing I cannot emphasize enough the importance of cooperation between state, private sector and civil society in order to create a supportive and inclusive culture that promotes gender equality. It is essential to unlock the full potential of women and men in all sectors of life and create a better future for all. You can count on my support and collaboration. Thank you!   

(NG/ECHR)