Barriers to women in sport and science top of the agenda as National Assembly marks International Women’s Day
4 March 2013
The National Assembly for Wales’s Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM, will welcome leading women from the fields of science and sport to the Assembly, on 7 & 8 March, to mark International Women’s Day.
Two sessions will look at the barriers facing women who want to become scientists and engineers, or pursue careers in professional sport, or to simply get involved in sporting activities.
It forms part of the Presiding Officer’s “Women in Public Life” campaign, aimed at addressing the issue of barriers to women in all walks of life.
On 7 March, at 10am, Baroness Susan Greenfield will make a keynote address to an audience at the historic Pierhead. This event is open to the public and spaces are available by ringing 0845 010 5500 or by emailing assembly.bookings@wales.gov.uk.
While on the following morning, 8 March (International Women’s Day) at 8am, Professor Laura McAllister, Chair of Sports Wales, will lead a discussion, with an invited audience, about similar issues in sport. (see notes to editors for biographies)
“It is an honour to welcome such leading figures from the worlds of science and sport to the Assembly,” said the Presiding Officer.
“These women are leaders in their field and provide an inspiration to all women that you can achieve.
“But they are exceptions, rather than the rule. When you look at our sporting icons and our leading scientists, that vast majority are men.
“These women are role models so I hope the impact of these events will be twofold, first to provide inspiration to women in Wales, and secondly to place the issue at the top of the media and political agenda.”
Women make up only 12.3 per cent of those working in all Science Engineering and Technology (SET) jobs. This is despite the fact that women account for 45.1 per cent of the whole workforce, with 12.7 million women at work in the UK. (Source: Open University 2010)
To achieve parity nearly four times as many women would need to take up work in a SET occupation.
Furthermore, only 29.8 per cent (185,000) of all female STEM graduates of working age in the UK are employed in SET occupations compared to half (782,000) of all male STEM graduates of working age.
“We shall look at banana skins, bottlenecks and elephant traps,” said Baroness Greenfield ahead of her keynote speech
“The banana skins are when we slip up on various myths: first that all our abilities, and shortcomings, are ‘all down to genes’; secondly that the ‘real’ leaders in science need to be white, middle-aged men, and third that women in science should in any case be viewed as less competent.
“Then there are the various bottlenecks that need combatting, with a re-thinking of career structure, child-friendly policies and ‘Returner’ schemes for those who have time off for child-care.
“Meanwhile, the elephant traps include a lack of confidence, a failure to make the most of any gender-based dispositions and to be unaware of the risk of conflating professional issues with personal ones.
“The biggest trap however is to ignore the importance of finding the right mentor, namely ‘Someone who believes in you, more than you believe in yourself’.”
While in Sport there is a similar picture. Research by Sport Wales reveals that more men (62 per cent) take part in sport than women (51 per cent); participation in pure sports clubs is male dominated (22 per cent of male population and 11 per cent female); and that a drop-off in participation in sport by school pupils is more acutely felt by girls (in Year 10, 52 per cent of boys participate in organised activity at least once a week compared to 44 per cent of girls).
Professor Laura McAllister, Chair of Sport Wales, said:
“We have seen some very positive steps forward for women in sport recently, with the London 2012 Games often branded as the ‘girls’ Games’; our elite female athletes have been more visible than ever before, but we’re acutely aware that there is still a long way to go.
“As an organisation, Sport Wales is committed to addressing the issues surrounding women in sport, from participation through to role models and women decision-makers working at the highest level of sport. Events like this one to mark International Women’s Day provide a fantastic platform for us to talk with Wales’ leading women, and to discuss, debate and raise the profile of some of these critical issues.”
Biographies:
Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE is a British scientist, writer, broadcaster and member of the House of Lords. Specialising in the physiology of the brain, Susan researches the impact of 21st century technologies on the mind, how the brain generates consciousness and novel approaches to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. She has written several non-specialist books on issues relating to the mind and brain for the general reader. She appears regularly on radio and television and frequently gives talks to the public and private sector.
Laura McAllister is Professor of Governance at the University of Liverpool’s School of Management. She was educated at Bryntirion Comprehensive School in Bridgend and is a graduate of the London School of Economics. She also completed a PhD in Political Theory at Cardiff University.
She was a member of the Richard Commission that reported in March 2004 on the Powers and Electoral Arrangements for the National Assembly for Wales. Laura’s principal academic interests are public administration and politics. She is specifically interested in devolution; the role of commissions in policy-making; Welsh politics and elections; sport and public policy; gender, and politics. She is Honorary Visiting Professor at Cardiff University, Queensland University of Technology and the China National School of Administration in Beijing. Laura has worked as a political analyst for BBC Wales and is a regular commentator on Welsh and British politics and elections.
Laura was appointed Chair of Sport Wales in February 2010 and re-appointed in 2013. A former Wales football international and national team captain with 24 caps, Laura is also a Board Member of UK Sport. She was a member of the Sports Council for Wales from April 2006 and Vice Chair from March 2007 to January 2010. Laura is also a Board Member of the Welsh Football Trust and a member of the Wales Advisory Committee for the British Council. She is also Chair of IWA Women.