Author: KRISTINE JANE ATIENZA
Affiliation: SPACE GENERATION ADVISORY COUNCIL / WORLD VISION PHILIPPINES
Country: PHILIPPINES
Co-Author(s): RAAGAS DYAN QUEENIE
Affiliation: SPACE GENERATION ADVISORY COUNCIL / DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Country: PHILIPPINES
Title: GENDER DIVERSITY IN THE SPACE SECTOR: A REPORT FROM THE ASIA-PACIFIC SPACE GENERATION WORKSHOP 2018
It is hard to dispute that a diverse, broad range of ideas will result in more and better innovation as well as growth in business and development. Yet it is not surprising that the space sector just like any science and technology fields traditionally been dominated by men. According to the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), only 28% of the world’s scientific researchers are women. It is in this premise that the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) included a working group for Gender Diversity in the Space during the 5th Asia Pacific – Space Generation Workshop (AP-SGW) last November 2018 in Singapore.
Cognizant of the urgent need to bridge policy and operation gaps in the space sector gender diversity, the working group deliberated (1) why gender diversity is so important in the space sector (2) what is the status of gender disparity in the space sector in the Asia Pacific region and (3) how can gender diversity be improved in the space sector.
The discussions in the working group were further processed to develop a conceptual framework describing the gender diversity map in various parts of the Asia Pacific region as juxtaposed to their space sector status. This paper revolves closely at these discussions and highlights important issues faced by the various parts of the Asia Pacific region on gender diversity in the space sector.
It will capture similarities and differences encountered by the various sub-regions and will explore on the steps that can be taken at an industry, governmental, regional and global level to bridge the gender gap in the space sector areas for collaboration. It will also propose recommendations for interventions on how to improve the gender diversity for each region. Finally, this paper aims to promote intra-sectoral and multi-level outreach and leadership opportunities, particularly in the Asia Pacific context.