SPATIAL INEQUALITIES AND DEVELOPMENTAL BARRIERS TO WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN STEM HIGHER EDUCATION IN BANGLADESH: A GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Women’s participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains disproportionately low in Bangladesh despite national commitments to gender equity and sustainable development. This study draws on primary survey data from female students, teachers, and parents in public and private universities, supplemented by data from secondary-level institutions in Gazipur district, to explore the barriers, motivations, and perceptions influencing women’s representation in STEM. Findings reveal that motivational factors differ by institutional type: public university students emphasized employability (39%), while private university students highlighted personal interest (41%). Perceptions of underrepresentation also diverged, with public university students citing cultural barriers (62%) and private university students emphasizing gender stereotypes (68%).

Analysis of personal-level barriers showed higher constraints among public university stakeholders, including societal pressures (81%), gender bias (78%), and low confidence among teachers (78%). By contrast, private university respondents reported fewer challenges, though stereotypes remained significant. At the institutional level, deficits in laboratories and libraries, inadequate ICT facilities, overburdened teachers, and corruption in governance limited effective STEM learning. National statistics corroborated these findings, with only 79% of institutions employing computer teachers and 81% having internet facilities. Environmental vulnerabilities further exacerbated barriers, as 38% of schools were affected by floods and 11% by cyclones.

At the social and household level, entrenched gender ideologies, safety concerns, and child marriage continue to limit women’s participation. Survey data revealed that 21% of students faced pressure for early marriage and 17% struggled to balance caregiving with academic responsibilities. These results align with literature documenting how patriarchal norms, gender-based violence, and early marriage constrain women’s educational trajectories.

Overall, the study highlights that women’s underrepresentation in STEM in Bangladesh is shaped by a nexus of cultural norms, institutional deficiencies, and structural vulnerabilities. Addressing these barriers requires multi-level interventions, including investment in resilient educational infrastructure, mentorship and role models for female students, gender-sensitive pedagogy, and policy reforms to reduce child marriage and strengthen family–school engagement.