Adaeze Ekwe, PhD
Junior Associate Editor
ISCT ESP Leadership Development Program
From the laboratories to the clinics and boardrooms, women have been integral to the progress made in cell and gene therapy. As such for this Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day we celebrate the contributions and achievements of ISCT women in scientific discoveries, innovations, advocacies and shaping healthcare policies leading to better outcomes for patients and society.
This global month-long observance not only serves as a reminder of the hurdles overcome but also the strides still needed to achieve gender equality. Beyond the fancy taglines and performative photoshoots, women are still underrepresented in the STEM workforce, particularly in senior leadership roles. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2023 published by the World Economic Forum, women make up only 29% of workers in the STEM workforce even with increasing percentages of female STEM graduates. In addition, there was a significant drop in the proportion (12%) of women in high-level executive leadership positions, highlighting a problem with retention of women in the workforce.
The ISCT, as a leading global association, must continue to incorporate strategies to #InspireInclusion and ensure better representation both for early-stage and late-stage professionals. In a previous Editorial, Contributing Editor, Joaquim Vives, PhD highlighted some of the biggest challenges and ways to #InspireInclusion in science especially for younger scientists. However, actions that lead to change do not only come from the top. Equally, it is not a performance restricted to a day or month every year. As Telegraft Senior Editor Janet Macpherson, PhD previously explained, we all need to decipher what inclusion means to us individually.
We recognize that the success of women is pivotal to the advancement of society, as such, we hope we can have a more inclusive and equitable society where investing in women is more than just a theme.
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