Women's participation in the research development of a country

Abstract

Women's participation in science has been growing throughout history. However, a gender gap in their equity in participation requires pragmatic strategies and public policies that motivate women's opportunities in research. This study aims to analyse the scientific contribution of female Ecuadorian researchers through a diagnosis of the metrics and co-author's criteria for scientific publications to establish strategies oriented toward women's inclusion in Ecuador's research development. The methodology includes downloading and processing data for scientific publications indexed in scientific databases. A systematic review using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method. Metrics examination of authors and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as intellectual structure and cluster analysis. A survey applied to female researchers, statistical analysis and the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) method for proposing strategies. This study identified that 22 % of female Ecuadorian researchers participated in 18,604 documents (1973–2023) of the total scientific production in Ecuador from 1920 to 2023 (57,056 papers). The main research areas with women's participation are Covid-19, HEIs, health care, social networks, data science, statistics, e-learning, environment, and education. In the last five years, women's participation in scientific publications represents 67.81 % of the total and 7.8 % in STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). According to the female researchers' criterion, a crucial strategy must be to put value on women's scientific work, which has been endorsed in the different fields of science. Women scientists consider it essential that the authorities give them opportunities with determined inclusion and equal conditions for women's empowerment in science.