Stereotypes keep women out of science, says minister

Women are under-represented in science because they feel men are more likely to succeed than they are, South Africa’s minister of higher education, science and technology has said.

Blade Nzimande was speaking during the South African Women in Science Awards in Port Elizabeth on 15 August. A transcript was released on 22 August.

“The reason [for the under-representation] is that women are often discouraged from studying for STEM occupations because they feel that men are more likely to be successful in these areas,” he said.