Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1435 (1999)

(CM/Del/Dec(2001)737/4.2)

Role of women in the field of science and technology

Decision

The Deputies adopted the following reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1435 (1999) on the role of women in the field of science and technology:

"The Committee of Ministers carefully studied Recommendation 1435 (1999) on the role of women in the field of science and technology and wishes to point out that it shares the Assembly's concerns as regards the persistence of "several inequalities concerning the participation of men and women in scientific and technological development continue to exist in Europe".

The Committee of Ministers notes that this Recommendation stresses that "girls and women continue to face considerable obstacles in pursuing studies and careers in the field of science and technology". With regard to this, the Committee of Ministers points out that a recent report, entitled "Equality between women and men: priorities for the future" (1999), drawn up under the auspices of the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG), highlights the scepticism which exists towards the revision of school curricula and teaching materials in the field of science as well as towards setting up specific project-promotion programmes to encourage young women to qualify for and choose scientific careers.

Similar conclusions were drawn in the context of the work of the Education Committee (CC-ED) on a European policy on new information technologies and, more particularly, at the symposium on "Information technologies in schools: reasons and strategies for investment" in Jurmala (Latvia, July 1999), at which it was noted that the rise of the new information technologies might, contrary to hopes, lead in some cases to greater inequality between men and women, particularly in education.

The Committee of Ministers is aware of the need to ensure equality and social cohesion through a better gender balance in all sectors of society, and particularly in science and technology, by providing equal opportunities for both genders, not only for access to education and training, but also for adequate positions and career prospects.

In the light of this, the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation No. R (98) 3 on access to higher education, inviting governments and higher education institutions to implement adequate measures providing equal opportunities for higher education studies to different under-represented groups of students, including women. More recently, the Committee of Ministers examined the research mission of universities (Recommendation No. Rec(2000)8), which also raises the issue of the role of women in research. There are also grounds for mentioning the project conducted by the Higher Education and Research Committee (CC-HER) on "Lifelong learning for equity and social cohesion: a new challenge to higher education", which in particular is intended to promote women's participation in all forms of education and training in a lifelong perspective.

Regarding paragraph 5.i of the Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers wishes to point out to the Assembly that while such a study might be useful, it does not feature among the priorities of the CDEG, which concentrates its activities on violence against women and the promotion of the balanced participation of women and men in political and public life. The Committee of Ministers also wishes to point out, in agreement with an expertise supplied by the CDEG, the fact that giving girls and women full access to the areas of science and technology also implies research into the gender-differentiated learning styles of boys and girls, on teaching methods and on the different perception boys and girls may have regarding the approach to and the use of new technologies.

The Committee of Ministers is aware of the fact that an ongoing restructuring in countries with economies in transition, including those of the Commonwealth of Independent States has had a negative impact on women's employment. Bearing in mind a relatively high level of education of women in those countries and their previous good representation in science and technology, appropriate measures are advisable to ensure their access to training for finding re-employment and to apply a coherent and comprehensive approach at all levels of the educational process.

Regarding paragraph 5.ii of the Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers informs the Assembly that according to the principles of gender mainstreaming, the CDEG could assist the CC-ED and the CC-HER with the preparatory work for and launch of a new project on "Learning and teaching in the communication society", planned for 2001, and address, in particular, the problem of equal access to and equal use of the new technologies in schools.

This question was also dealt with at a seminar on "A new social contract between women and men: the role of education", held on 7 and 8 December 2000 and organised jointly by the CC-ED and the CDEG, which focused on, among other things, the issue of equality in science and technology teaching. The participants in the seminar drew up recommendations aimed at encouraging girls and young women to choose branches in the field of science and technology. A group of specialists will be set up in 2001 to follow up these recommendations.

As regards paragraph 5.iii of the Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers approves, in principle, the proposal to entrust the task of carrying out a study on measures to be taken to provide the same opportunities for women and men who have chosen to study science and technology at university to the CC-HER. It must, however, inform the Assembly that such a study could only be conducted if it were supported by a specific activity, which, in the framework of current priorities, it would be difficult to include in the programme of activities for 2001."