Stereotypes hinder development of exact sciences in Uzbekistan – RB Asia and the World Bank report

According to results of a research conducted by RB Asia together with the World Bank, stereotypes impact negatively on the development of exact sciences. 

The consulting agency says that girls face certain barriers if they want to study exact sciences, and these barriers are connected with stereotypes formed in the society. 

“One of the reasons for this is the opinion that only men should be engaged in mathematics (exact sciences), and that women are more suitable for social sciences,” a researcher Muzaffar Mirzayev says.

According to him, the results of the study showed that the majority of girls also want to pursue exact sciences in Uzbekistan and their knowledge of mathematics is the same as young men, and in some cases, girls’ knowledge proves more powerful than their male peers.

A three-stage study was conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, covering college and school graduates in six major regions of the country, including Samarkand and Tashkent.

According to the United Nations partnership program, until 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) should be carried out based on the principles of considering the interests of each individual, ensuring the human rights, promoting gender equality and empowerment of women, resistance to external influences, sustainability and accountability.

The first deputy director of the National Center for human rights Mirzatilla Tillaboyev highlighted that election of a woman to the Senate chairmanship of Oliy Majlis was an important political step towards ensuring gender equality in the country.