UNESCO Bamako Cluster Office

in partnership with
 

Association for the Development of Education, Working Group on Higher Education

Association of African Universities


 

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND
Mali


First International Conference on Girls and Women in Science and Technology in Africa
Bamako, Mali
 13-15 July, 2009

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT AND REGISTRATION

Background and Justification

At the 2007 World Conference on Science and Technology Education in Perth, Australia, the participation rate of girls and women in science and technology in Africa was assessed to be the lowest of all the regions of the world. The 2008 World Bank report entitled “Accelerating catch-up: Tertiary education for growth in Sub-Saharan Africa” also highlighted the poor performance of African students in science and technology, especially girls. Enrolment in science and technology courses in higher education institutions and performance relative to males have been found by several recent reports to be poorer for girls.

Over the last 20 years, attention has turned to addressing this problem through conferences, seminars and workshops. However, the efficacy of these interventions is compromised on account of the sporadic and non-sustaining nature of the events. This series of annual conferences is designed to address this deficiency and trigger action that will lead to a significant change in gender-equity profile in enrolment, participation and achievement of girls and women in science and technology. The outlook is that in ten years, these conferences would have contributed significantly to reducing the gender gap in science and technology.

A number of underlying issues provide a background for this project. It is now generally agreed that in the current knowledge economy society, science, technology and innovation play a major role towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. In this context it is necessary to strengthen and sustain efforts made by African member states and all stakeholders to achieve gender equity in science and technology in Africa.

 Several factors contribute to the low participation and performance of girls and women in science and technology education and science- based activities in Africa and their lack of motivation for learning science and technology. These include lack of relevant policies, inadequate curriculum content and delivery, biased teaching materials and negative socio-cultural attitudes and practices.  It is therefore agreed that achievement of gender parity in science and technology should rely on an appropriate mix of strategies based on lessons learned from best practices and experiences at national, regional and international levels.

 Gender parity in science and technology has been recommended in several national, regional and international conferences, including the 4th World Forum on Women (Beijing, 1995), the UNESCO/FAWE Consultative meeting on “Girls and Women in Science and Technology in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities for the 21st Century” (Arusha 1997), the World Conference on Science (Budapest, 1999), the African Union Congress of Scientists and Policymakers (Alexandria, 2006) and the Extraordinary Conference of the AU Ministerial Council on Science and Technology (Cairo, 2006).

 Several initiative have been undertaken to attract girls and women in science and technology education. These include continuous sensitisation and lobbying of policymakers and legislators; promoting gender mainstreaming in policy and programmes for science and technology; instituting incentives such as scholarships, award systems in specific clusters of science and technology; offering special internships for female students; strengthening career guidance at institutions of learning; establishment of mentoring programmes; curriculum restructuring; and addressing the role of teachers and parents.

 At the African regional level, strategies currently underway to promote gender parity include the Action Plan for the implementation of the 2nd Decade of Education in Africa (2006-2015); the Consolidated Plan of Action for Science and Technology in Africa; the launching of 2007 as the year of building constituencies and champions for science, technology and innovation in Africa, by the African Union Summit of the Heads of State and Government; the African Union (AU) regional conferences on Women  in science and technology in Africa and the AU progressive gender policies. The ADEA Working Group on Higher Education and the Association of African Universities (AAU) have also given top priority to issues of gender equity in their current Action Plans.

 As the main United Nations Agency with a mandate on science and technology, UNESCO plays a major role in promoting gender equity and widening opportunities for girls and women in science and technology. Indeed in 1996, UNESCO selected women and Africa as part of the priorities of its Medium-Term Strategy for the period 1996-2001 and launched the six-year special project on the “Scientific, Technological and Professional Education of Girls and Women in Africa”. In addition, UNESCO has chosen two global priorities for its Medium-Term Strategy for the period 2008-2013:” Africa and Gender Equality”. With respect to Africa, UNESCO has also pledged to support the implementation of the Consolidated Plan of Action for Science and Technology in Africa (2008-2013), in particular through the implementation of three flagship projects, namely: capacity building in science and technology policy development; science, technology and engineering education; and the establishment of the “African Virtual Campus”.

Despite these achievements sustained efforts are still needed in order to improve girls and women participation and performance in science and technology education and science- based activities. It is in this context that the African Union organised the first African Conference on Women in Science in Johannesburg on 29 - 31 August 2007 as part of the implementation of the Declaration on Science, Technology and Scientific Research for Development adopted by African Heads of State and Governments at their 8th Ordinary Session held in January 2007 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The 1st International Conference on Girls and Women in Science and Technology for Africa can be considered as a follow up to the Johannesburg conference. Indeed, it will provide an opportunity for presentation of a progress report on the implementation of the “Johannesburg Declaration” and address some of the subthemes discussed and recommendations adopted in Johannesburg both from the African and international perspectives in order to learn from good practices and experiences of other regions of the world which may be useful for Africa. Other relevant subthemes will also be included in the conference programme. As stated earlier, this conference will flag off the series of conferences aimed at significantly bridging the gender gap in science and technology

General Objective

To contribute to the promotion of gender parity in science and technology in Africa.

Specific Objectives

·         To review the achievements and initiatives undertaken in Africa aimed at reducing gender disparity in science and technology;

·         To stimulate the mainstreaming of activities which foster gender parity in national science, technology and innovation policies and programmes;

·         To promote access of girls and women to scientific and technological education and careers;

·         To strengthen the capacity of teachers in the areas of pedagogy and guidance and counselling in order to promote access of girls and women to science and technology education.

Theme

The theme of the conference is “Fostering Participation and Achievement of African Girls and Women in Science and Technology”.

 Sub-themes
 

1.      Motivating and Encouraging Girls and Women to Choose Studies and Careers in Science and Technology.

2.      Mainstreaming gender equity in national science, technology and innovation Policies and programmes formulation and implementation.

3.      The use of Information and Communication technologies (ICTs) for increasing participation and performance of girls and women in sciences and technology education.

4.      Regional and International cooperation on Girls and Women in Science and technology for Africa.

Expected Results

·         Updated documentation on good practices on Girls and women in Science and Technology;

·         A framework for Priority Action for promotion of girls and women participation and performance in science and technology education and science-based activities;

Participants


The conference is expected to bring together the following participants, among others:

·         Senior staff of Ministries in charge of gender issues, including the Ministries of Education and Science and Technology;

·         School Authorities at all levels;

·         Science, mathematics and engineering teachers;

·         Specialists in guidance counselling;

·         Professional associations working in the area of science, technology and engineering education;

·         Women engaged in scientific and technological careers;

·         Researchers working on issues related to gender parity in science and technology;

·         Representatives of institutions specializing in gender and science and technology;

·         Academies of sciences and technologies;

·         Organisations of civil society;

·         Technical and Financial partners.

 Language

The working languages of the conference will be English and French. All communications, synopses, abstracts and papers should be in one of these languages.

 Publication of Proceedings

The best papers presented at the conference will be published in a book dedicated to this conference, after a rigorous process of peer review.

Partners and Sponsors

The conference is organized by the UNESCO Bamako Cluster Office in collaboration with several partners. The following institutions will be invited to collaborate in the organization of the conference: the Government of Mali, the UNESCO Science Sector, UNESCO Africa Department, UNESCO Section in charge of scientific, technological and vocational education, The Global University Network for Innovations (GUNI)- Africa region, UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Technology in Africa, UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Africa, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)- Working group on Mathematics and Science Education, ADEA Working Group on Higher Education (WGHE), the Association of African Universities (AAU), the West African economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the International Centre for Girls' and Women’s Education in Africa (CIEFFA),UNESCO Chairs on Women in science and technology, the Third World Organization for Women Scientists, Professional associations, academies of sciences and non-governmental organisations.


 Virtual Discussion Forum 

A virtual discussion forum will be organised on each sub-theme of the conference in order to document the state of the arts and therefore to provide to paper contributors relevant baseline information needed for preparation of relevant and quality papers. The report of the forum will be presented at the conference.

Conference Fee 

No registration fee is charged to participants. As a general rule, the organizing committee does not pay for participants’ travel and living expenses. However, limited funds will be mobilized to meet the participation cost of selected specialists.

 

Exhibition

 

A limited amount of space will be available for commercial vendors’ displays/exhibits during the conference.

Call for Papers

Papers or posters on issues falling within the sub-themes outlined above may be submitted ONLINE as contributions to the conference. Persons who wish to present a paper or poster at the conference must submit an extended synopsis (in English or French) of 800 words (i.e. two A4 format pages of single spaced typing or the equivalent, including any tables or diagrams and a few pertinent references) before 30 April 2009.

Authors will be informed by mid-April 2 whether their paper/poster has been accepted for presentation by the Programme Committee. A subset of papers presented at the conference will be published subject to peer review. Further details will be provided after the extended synopses have been reviewed.

CONFERENCE WEB SITE

The conference web site for registration and where information updates can be obtained is located at

http://www.unesco-bamako.org/conferences

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Professor Juma Shabani

Director UNESCO and Representative

Bamako Cluster Office

Bamako

j.shabani@unesco.org

 

Professor Peter Okebukola

President Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI) -Africa Region
Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Crawford University
Igbesa, Ogun State, Nigeria
 peter@okebukola.com.

Dr Kanyankore Marcel Rudasingwa

Resident Representative

UNICEF Mali

Bamako

mrudasingwa@unicef.org

 

Alice Sena Lamptey

Coordinator-WGHE
Association of African Universities
P.O.Box AN 5744
Accra-North
Ghana
Tel.233-21-761588 / 774495
Fax 233-21-774821
alamptey@aau.org