This Giving Tuesday, Support African Women in Research
Author: Naliaka Odera
It is Giving Tuesday today, a day where global generosity is encouraged, for people to show support for their favourite initiatives. As a participating organisation, today we want to illustrate why and how the Mawazo Institute supports African women researchers.
Research in Africa is missing Africans
Currently, only about 2% of global research originates from Africa, despite the continent being the second most populous and largest in the world. This disparity is particularly concerning given that global issues affecting Africa often receive more research funding from institutions outside the continent, especially in Western countries, than from African Universities and research institutes.
For example, our Sector Briefs report on the Emerging Trends in Research (2023), reveals a stark contrast in funding allocation for climate change research. Although climate change significantly impacts Africa, approximately 80% of the research funding related to its effect is directed towards institutions in developed countries. Comparatively, Kenya and South Africa received only 2.3% and 2.2% of this funding respectively.
Furthermore, according to the ACU Measures Supporting Research Survey conducted in 2023, 17% of African institutions surveyed reported receiving no funding at all for research.
Despite the pressing need for research, the limited funding available for African scholars places them in a tough position. This lack of financial support is the primary reason for Africa’s high attrition rates among researchers; in Kenya alone, these rates range from 5 to 50% across various institutions.
Research is missing Women
A 2022 report by the British Council on Gender Equality in Higher Education paints a dire picture regarding women’s representation in research. The report indicates that since 2017, there has been minimal global progress in the number of women pursuing their PhDs and attaining leadership roles within academic institutions. According to their data, men constitute approximately 71% of university researchers worldwide.
Additionally, countries with lower income levels are more likely to have high gender inequality in higher education institutions. Overall, gender stereotypes continue to disadvantage women significantly, resulting in fewer women publishing their work in academic journals, and a lower likelihood of submitting applications for university positions.
Furthermore, African institutions exhibit significant variance in gender equality among researchers. For example, women researchers constitute about 56% of the researcher population in Tunisia, while in Chad, the figure drops drastically to just 3%. These disparities, highlight the need for a more nuanced approach to address the diverse challenges related to gender equality across the continent.
How Mawazo is increasing the number of African women researchers
In response to these challenges, Mawazo is committed to supporting scholars in their #PathtoPhD, recognising that their research is not only valuable but also crucial for addressing the continent’s unique challenges.
The 2023 Mawazo Fellows primarily utilised the Fellows Fund to advance their research through activities such as research learning trips, data collection, and data analysis. These collaborative efforts are vital components for a PhD research project; however, they often pose significant financial barriers for African women scholars. On average, research learning trips cost our Fellows approximately 2500 USD each, per trip, while data collection and analysis expenses can reach $1,700 and $2,100 respectively. This financial strain underscores the need for increased support to ensure that African women scholars can effectively contribute to their fields.
The 2021 State of Women Leading Report by ESSA, with insights from the Mawazo Institute, proposes a multifaceted strategy aimed at increasing the representation of women leadership roles in academia. Key recommendations include enhancing the visibility of role models and mentorship opportunities for women, expanding networking avenues, promoting gender-focussed research, and improving training and development programmes.
Mawazo’s strategic approach covers each of these tactics, and actively continues to engage with the 91 women in our network. Our goal is to not only support them in completing their PhDs, but also in becoming leading change makers in their fields and countries. In fact, 100% of our 2023 Mawazo Fellows felt that the Mawazo Fellowship Programme helped them to further their PhD and research goals.
Mawazo’s commitment to covering the high fees incurred by our researchers has a profound impact on enabling our Fellows to successfully complete their PhDs. To date, Mawazo has proudly supported 23 PhD graduates.
You could help us support even more women to achieve this milestone, by donating at: https://mawazoinstitute.org/donate-to-us