The United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) promotes global awareness and paintings of the United Nations through its network paintings of United Nations Information Centres (UNICs) around the world. The United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) in Brussels reaches local audiences in 21 countries, as well as in the Sacred Sea and European institutions.
Women researchers have been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, and scientists around the world have played a critical role, from promoting wisdom about the virus to finding vaccines, treating patients, and assessing the devastating economic and social effects. Effect of the pandemic.
However, the fitness crisis has laid bare disparities in the clinical system. Girls are particularly underrepresented in science, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects in school, and women hold fewer leadership positions than men in most sensible universities. The pandemic has widened the existing gender gap, with laboratories closed and increased daily jobs caring for women.
At the United Nations University-MERIT (UNU-MERIT), women scholars play a key role in the paintings of the 2030 Agenda. “Education is one of the tactics to achieve gender equality,” says Professor Bartel Van de Walle, Director of UNU. -MERIT in Maastricht. ” During the tumultuous year ahead, our PhD students and fellows have produced several study reports and policy briefs on the COVID-19 pandemic. “
In his message for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that giving women the education they deserve is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. “Women and women belong to science, estranged women and women from science-related fields. It’s time to recognize that greater diversity leads to greater innovation. “
Following the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, UNRIC interviewed Racky Balde and Tatenda Zinyemba, two UNU-MERIT PhD fellows, who studied the effects of COVID-19 in Africa.
Tatenda Zinyemba, born and raised in Zimbabwe, holds a master’s degree in public affairs and economics and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. It focuses on inequalities in health, education and gender.
Racky Balde, from Senegal, holds a master’s degree in implemented economics and a bachelor’s degree in economics. He is passionate about the problems of economic progression and empowering people to the fullest economically.
Tatenda: In addition to my love of solving challenges, I’m curious to know why some Americans or teams are more disadvantaged or marginalized than others.
Racky: When I was in school number one, I was watching a documentary about the economic progression of some Asian countries that were at the same point as my country, Senegal, in the 60s. I was curious and speechless and searched after perceiving the procedure of economic progression.
Racky: It’s essential. There is enormous untapped capacity among women and women who can replace and contribute to the economic progress of their countries. Governments allocate more budget to attract and retain women in school, especially in science.
Tatenda: Women make up more than a part of the world’s population and have the same intellectual talents as men. Having more women and women in science would be normal.
Racky: There are social norms and perceptions that women and women cannot succeed in science, especially in some African countries. The result is that there is no one who believes in them. However, I was lucky that my parents believed in me and it pushed me to aim higher, so during my studies, I never encountered any problems. However, in terms of career, although I am at the beginning, I learned that women have to paint harder and cannot negotiate wages in the same way as men.
Tatenda: To consistently preserve women, especially in spaces where they are underrepresented.
Racky: Honestly, there’s still a lot to do. You have to deal with social norms, and it starts at home. Parents will have to teach women and children to perceive that women and men have the same talents and that neither sex is amazing to the other. At school, women are encouraged to pursue careers in science. There will be social protections for poor parents to prevent them from excluding women from school to paint or marry.
Racky: We’ve found that staff in the informal economy have a tendency to be more affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Informal staff are more likely to lose their jobs and have a tendency to enjoy a decline in their income. These findings also apply to those operating in high-risk sectors, such as restaurants, hotels, tourism, good-looking salons (. . . ) transport. Informal staff are also more likely to struggle to fulfill their fundamental desires of the pandemic.
Tatenda: Using 2016 data from Ghana to read about gender gaps in informal businesses, we found that COVID-19 is exacerbating gender gaps, as women are the number one caregivers within their families. more than men, since women merchants will have to take care of their children and have another circle of relatives or family circle obligations.
Tatenda: Go ahead! If I can do it, so can you.
Racky: Stay strong and focused. The road will be easy, but as the saying goes, expansion comes with challenges. You have the skill like everyone else and with hard work, you will succeed.
The Manguinhos Ballet, named after its favela in Rio de Janeiro, returns to the level after a long absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has as interpreters 250 young people and adolescents from the favela. The ballet organization provides social assistance in a network where poverty, hunger and teenage pregnancy are ongoing problems.
The pandemic has put many other people to the test, and news hounds are no exception. The coronavirus has waged war not only against the lives and well-being of others, but has also generated countless deceptions and clinical lies.
The pandemic has shown how vital it is that the right of access to data is reliable and that reliable and accurate data is freely available for government and citizen decision-making – a win-win situation.