Supporting women in research helps Hong Kong’s gender equality push
Providing women with mentorship opportunities and work-life balance arrangements sets a good example in the march towards inclusion
Gender equality has been advancing steadily in Hong Kong, including in the field of medical science. But progress has been uneven in a city where women can comprise half of all medical students at an institution, yet only one in three fellows and non-fellows do research. While that sex ratio among researchers largely reflects global disparity, it is encouraging to see timely intervention to bridge the gender gap.
Professor Siew Ng, an associate dean of CUHK’s medical school and Wise convenor, said women’s participation has often been held back by the “huge challenge” of balancing family and research life. Ng rightly identified Hong Kong’s strategic location, mature academic and research systems, supportive government and strong equality between the sexes as conditions that should draw talented women. Easing the career-family crunch could allow more of them to remain engaged in early-stage research.