In 2015, the United Nations established February 11 as the International Women and Girls Day in Science
It highlights the importance of increasing women’s participation in science as an essential step in promoting empowerment of girls and women. In 2015, the UN established February 11 as International Women and Girls Day in Science, encouraging actions aimed at including this public in the scientific areas. In Brazil, the situation is even more complex due to the intersection between gender and race. A survey conducted in 2023 from Rio de Janeiro State University revealed that only 2.5% of teachers in postgraduate programs in the exact sciences were black, brown or indigenous women, while the presence of white women reached 29.2 %.
Professor Marcia Pereira, who is the only black woman in the faculty of the Technological Center of the Federal University of Espírito Santo, emphasizes the relevance of her performance as an example for the new generations. It defends the implementation of racial quota policies as a vital strategy to promote diversity in higher education. Daphny Santos, a mathematics student at Impatech, also emphasizes the need for representativeness and the importance of quotas, which secure 50% of vacancies for students from public schools and 25% for black, brown, indigenous, quilombola or disabled people. This policy is seen as an important step for inclusion.
The doctor and researcher Monique França, who benefited from the quota system, shares that education has transformed her career. She believes that the presence of black women in the gym is critical to discussing often ignored topics, such as racism in the health sector. Researcher Marcia Cândido points out that diversity is a source of new ideas and innovations in scientific research. However, the implementation of the quota law still faces obstacles, such as the fragmentation of available vacancies. Recently, the National Congress approved an update in the legislation, increasing the reserve of vacancies to 30% and including indigenous and quilombola groups. The adoption of changes in selection processes for teachers, such as the creation of unique edicts, can facilitate the expansion of vacancies and ensure the effective application of the Quota Law. These measures are seen as essential to promote greater inclusion and in the academic environment.
Posted by Patrícia Costa
*Report produced with the aid of AI
