Women in STEM innovate to improve the lives of rural people in Asia-Pacific
In the Asia and Pacific region, people living in rural communities – especially women and girls – may face distinct and intersecting challenges to accessing opportunities for participation in society and the economy. For one, the burden of care work primarily falls on women, with many of society’s traditional expectations about the roles of men and women dictating that housework, childcare, and other forms of unpaid work are the responsibility of women only.
This expectation can hold women back from pursuing their education, participating in the labour market, learning new skills, or pursuing other fruitful endeavors. This is reflected in the significant gender gaps that remain in the Asia-Pacific region. For example, in 2022, women’s labour force participation was 44%, compared to 73.6% for men.
Compounding the barriers created by traditional gender norms and social expectations, people in rural regions often face higher levels of climate vulnerability due to their tendency to rely on agriculture and natural resources for their livelihoods and sustenance. For women, who may be responsible for tasks such as subsistence agriculture, fetching water, and collecting firewood, the impacts of climate-related disasters, further exacerbated by climate change, may be even more disruptive to their lives.
However, science and innovation provide hope for new solutions to tackle these persistent problems of gender inequality, such as the uneven burden of care work and level of climate vulnerability. In Asia and the Pacific, there are women scientists at the forefront of their fields, pioneering new technologies and applying them to the specific challenges facing those living in the region’s rural areas.
Seed science presents the opportunity to design crops that are more resilient to the effects of climate change. There are notable women creating an impact in this field. For example, Dr. Swati Nayak has been recognized as an outstanding young scientist for her work in testing and deploying climate-resilient and nutritious rice seeds to smallholder farmers in India. To date, her work has resulted in the dissemination of over 20 climate-resilient rice varieties to smallholder farms across Asia and Africa. Not only do such innovations help prevent rural farmers’ crops from being lost to disasters like droughts and floods, but they also help prevent hunger among a growing population.
In many rural communities across Asia and the Pacific, lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) disproportionately impacts women and girls. Women and girls are often made responsible for fetching drinking water for their households. Moreover, a lack of proper WASH infrastructure – including a lack of proper toilets – can lead to the practice of open defecation, which poses health and safety risks to women and children. In Indonesia, Dr. Neni Sintawardani has done award-winning work on innovation in WASH for the treatment of municipal solid waste and other forms of pollution to water systems. For example, she and her team developed an innovative toilet system that reduces wastewater by producing fertilizer and compost, reducing the waste that ends up in rivers. Moreover, she has been an advocate for raising awareness on WASH and its importance to the lives of women and children.
For many communities in Asia and Pacific that are not connected to the electric grid, access to affordable and sustainable solar energy is transformational. Dr. Thuc-Quyen Nguyen was born and raised in rural Vietnam, where she experienced first-hand how much a lack of access to essential resources, such as energy, can impact the lives of rural people. For example, a lack of access to reliable and affordable energy can increase the unpaid work burden of women and girls, who are likely to be responsible for gathering wood, cleaning clothes by hand, and other tasks. In addition, cooking with traditional methods, such as burning wood, has been found to pose health hazards to women and girls who must breathe in the harmful smoke.
Now, she is considered a leading scientist in the field of energy and semiconductors, and her research at the University of California Santa Barbara has led to breakthroughs in improving solar panel technology. For instance, Dr. Nguyen and her research team pioneered a new organic solar panel fabrication that is lighter to transport, more efficient and with a reduced environmental footprint.
These examples show that women scientists from across the Asia and Pacific region are harnessing the power of STEM to develop innovative technologies that change lives. By addressing critical issues such as climate resilience, WASH, and sustainable energy, these pioneering scientists are developing technologies that have an impact on the lives of those in rural communities. It is time we reframe our thinking around women’s contributions to STEM, particularly in rural communities. These women are not just beneficiaries of development—they are agents of change with the technical expertise and lived experiences to drive sustainable solutions. From advancing climate-resilient agriculture to innovating in water and sanitation, they are already leading the way.
Too often, social norms and structural barriers continue to sideline their potential. We need to shift our collective mindset and recognize that women’s participation in STEM is not just a gender issue—it’s an economic imperative. For the Asia-Pacific region to truly thrive, we must create equitable pathways for women and girls to access STEM education and opportunities. This requires intentional policies from governments, inclusive practices from industries, and community support systems that recognize and value women’s contributions.
The future of innovation in rural communities depends on women not only having tools and opportunities; but also an inclusive environment to enable full participation. It's time we invest in their potential and ensure that they are not just included but empowered to lead and be heard.
SOURCES:
[2] Odisha Scientist Dr Swati Nayak Wins The Prestigious Norman Borlaug Field Award 2023 (ndtv.com)
[3] The Inspiring Journey of Dr. Neni Sintawardani - U.S. Mission to ASEAN (usmission.gov)
[4] Top ASEAN Women Scientists Touch Lives of People in ASEAN - ASEAN Main Portal
[6] The Value of Clean Cooking | Clean Cooking Alliance
