Republic of Armenia Leveling the stem playing Field for Women
III. Why STEM is Important for Women in Armenia
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- IV. Barriers to Translating Academic Success into Labor Market Participation
III. Why STEM is Important for Women in ArmeniaEconomists are still debating the exact magnitude of women’s increased labor force participation on gross domestic product (GDP),2 although emerging evidence suggests it is significant. According to the recent McKinsey report The Power of Parity, advancing women’s equality could add as much as US$12 trillion to annual gross national product globally by 2020 (McKinsey Global Institute 2015). Cuberes and Teignier (2015) estimated the loss of income per capita due to gender gaps in entrepreneurship and workforce participation in OECD countries to be about 15 percent. They found substantially higher losses when extending the model to developing countries. In Armenia, women’s low participation in employment and entrepreneurship results in a loss of 14 percent foregone expansion in GDP (World Bank 2016a). Leveling the playing field to include more women in the labor force is of vital economic importance for various countries with a falling birth rate. Research shows that when women have equal access to economic opportunity, social empowerment, and higher wages, their children also often benefit. Women are more likely than men to save and invest their increased wages in their communities and families, which leads to improved education and health outcomes for their children, including improved survival rates of girls and higher rates of child nutrition. Women spend roughly 90 percent of their income on their families; by contrast, men contribute 30–40 percent (Forston 2003). Evidence also exists that gender-diverse teams lead to better outcomes, and should therefore be encouraged as part of successful business strategies (Wooley et al. 2010). STEM jobs are increasingly in demand in the global economy. As the world transitions to an increasingly digital economy, jobs in STEM will become a powerful driver of economic growth in the twenty-first century. Data suggest that pursuing jobs in STEM could be a good tactic for women. Jobs in STEM can advance the equality and status of women in several ways:
IV. Barriers to Translating Academic Success into Labor Market ParticipationA literature review (summarized in Annex 1) reveals that barriers to young women successfully participating in the labor market are first encountered at school and then replicated in the workplace. Men and women acquire different skills as part of formal education, and that determines differences in employment and remuneration (World Bank 2012). Women also receive different messages at school regarding what is possible in terms of goals and future careers: schools are not value-free, neutral environments that prepare all students equally (Stromquist 2002). These barriers can be summarized under three general categories: information asymmetries, institutional failures, and stereotype threat. In some cases access is also an issue. At work, inequality may be related to structural factors rooted in economic and institutional systems, both formal and informal. Often, these factors work in concert, which may trap women in a vicious cycle of low productivity. Three broad factors explain the gender productivity and pay gap in labor markets:
A mixed-methods analysis was conducted to evaluate these global findings against the Armenian context. Quantitative data were collected from the NSS and the Labor Force Survey (2014),3 and a qualitative analysis was conducted to examine the presence and relative influence of factors that prevent Armenian women from translating academic success into productive careers in the STEM field. Focus groups were conducted in 4 of Armenia’s 23 STEM-focused VET (vocational education and training) institutions; in 4 of its 29 STEM-focused universities; and in 5 of Armenia’s 25 leading STEM employers. In addition, focus groups were conducted in 4 non-STEM VET institutions and universities and in the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies in Yerevan (the capital) and in Shirak and Gegharkunik marzes (provinces). In-depth, one-on-one interviews were also conducted (see Annex 2 for a methodological overview). Table summarizes the different factors that constrain women from studying STEM fields and pursuing STEM careers. Each is explored using both qualitative and quantitative data. Educational constraints are discussed in section V, while constraints to work are presented in section VI. Table : Summary of barriers to equality of opportunity and outcomes in STEM in Armenia
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