Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM)
Are you a STEMinist? – Regardless of long-standing ambitions for increased involvement of women in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupation field, they still only account for 36% of graduates in the sector in the EU. Considering the importance of both societal and policy actions, how can the EU ensure gender equality and representation in STEM jobs?
Submitted by Lin Bergmans (Porta Mosana College), Pleun van Eijk (Mencia de Mendoza Lyceum), Anouk Graven (Porta Mosana College), Kim Grolman (Porta Mosana College), Helen van Hulten (Mencia de Mendoza Lyceum), Yule Seijffert (Novalis College), Virginia Herce (Chairperson, ES), Maša Veble (Chairperson, SI)
The European Youth Parliament,
- Alarmed that only one out of three STEM graduates is a woman,
- Taking into consideration that education is not providing female role models in STEM,
- Acknowledging that the STEM field is often perceived as less enjoyable for women due to it allegedly not requiring skills they traditionally have,
- Noting that the economy has the inability to reach its full potential when women are underrepresented in STEM careers,
- Further noting that there is a 14% wage gap between men and women in equal positions,
- Noting with deep concern that approximately 50% of women in STEM jobs have experienced sexual harassment, felt excluded, or have not been taken seriously,
- Having considered that gender-based discrimination and stereotypes result in unequal treatment of women in successful career-paths;
- Encourages the UN Women in collaboration with their government partners to establish a fund providing scholarships for women pursuing STEM education;
- Recommends Member States to implement a quota for companies to have a minimum of 45% female STEM employees;
- Suggests Member States’ Ministries of Education to encourage schools to implement extra-curricular activities on the topic of STEM, led by female teachers;
- Recommends the EU STEM Coalition in collaboration with schools to organise workshops with female employees in the STEM work field about their jobs;
- Calls upon Member States to collaborate with their local non-governmental organisations to organise practical STEM experience programs for women;
- Appeals the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) to create online articles and statistics highlighting the economic benefits of hiring women, aimed at employers;
- Invites the Directorate-General Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion (DG EMPL) to financially reward companies for taking gender inclusion into consideration in their decision making;
- Directs Member States to implement sanctions for the companies that have a gender wage gap that exceeds five percent in their annual budget and refuse to address it;
- Requests the EIGE to launch a campaign that features women who have higher paid jobs;
- Asks EIGE to start a media campaign explaining the various forms of sexual harassment and measures to combat them.