By Emma Naslund-Hadley
Imagine an invention from nearly 100 years ago, from the time when my grandmother was young, that could help solve a problem faced by girls today. This is the story of how we combined three innovations from different eras: television (1926), chatbots (1963), and WhatsApp (2009), to address a crucial challenge in Latin America and the Caribbean: the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The Problem: Underrepresentation of Girls in STEM
Before sharing the innovation with you, it’s important to understand the context and the problem we wanted to address. Over the years, it has been observed that girls are less likely to choose careers in STEM, especially in the fields of exact sciences and technology—areas that are highly in demand and well-paid in the job market. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Although preschool-age girls often excel in math skills, something changes as they progress in their education. In secondary school, significant gender gaps are found, especially in mathematics, where Latin America ranks among the regions with the greatest gender inequalities. But the question is: why should we be concerned?
Gender gaps in STEM do not close over time in the same way they do in subjects like reading. While girls continue to outperform boys in reading, there is no evidence that boys struggle in careers that require high language proficiency, such as journalism, politics, or law. On the other hand, gender gaps in STEM widen over time, meaning that girls fall behind, particularly in technology and engineering, which are and will be the most influential careers in the present and future.
The Solution: Using Television, Chatbots, and WhatsApp to Change Stereotypes
With all of this in mind, we decided to design a solution that could begin to change mindsets from an early age and strengthen girls’ aspirations toward STEM. We collaborated with Sesame Street to create a model that would address gender biases and stereotypes in preschool children.
We created television programs that showcased the importance and contributions of women in STEM. Through these programs, we wanted to provide girls with role models, such as NASA scientist Diana Trujillo, and expose them to inspiring stories of women who have changed the world with their contributions to science and technology. Additionally, we designed complementary materials such as books and games to reinforce these messages.
Positive Results: Impact in Colombia
The model was tested in Colombia, in collaboration with the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) and the Carvajal Foundation. What we found was astonishing. Girls who participated in the program showed an increased interest in mathematics compared to those who did not receive the program. Moreover, there was a significant shift in the gender flexibility of the preschoolers, who felt more comfortable playing with STEM toys regardless of their gender.
Scaling the Impact
Since the model was based on television, there was a possibility that it could be scaled, allowing its effects to reach preschool children throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Based on the success of Pequeñas Aventureras in Colombia, we wanted to expand this impact with Sesame Street. But how could we extend conversations with teachers through television broadcasts? To extend the conversation beyond television, we decided to incorporate WhatsApp and a chatbot. During the broadcast, the WhatsApp number appeared at the bottom of the screen so parents could request activities and conversation ideas with their children. And the best part: with the help of television and the chatbot, we reached more than 20 million children across 11 countries. The Pequeñas Aventureras model not only succeeded, but it was scaled through powerful platforms like television and WhatsApp.
A Persistent Challenge: Changing Mindsets in the Long Term
We know that change doesn’t happen overnight. While our model helped modify stereotypes among younger children, the low preference for STEM careers persists, even among high school students.
A study conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) revealed that more than a third of social media posts about women in STEM are sexist, with many of these criticisms coming from young women. This shows how gender stereotypes and insecurities are internalized from an early age and perpetuated over time.
An Example of Change: The “Decidiendo mi Futuro” Campaign
Globally, there are multiple effective models to change gender stereotypes and encourage girls’ participation in STEM. One example is Costa Rica, where the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the IDB and the NGO Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA), launched the “Decidiendo mi Futuro” (Deciding My Future) campaign, aimed at motivating ninth-grade girls to choose STEM courses in high school.
The campaign included text messages sharing inspiring stories of women in STEM, promoting the benefits of technology careers, and encouraging mental growth. The results were impressive: enrollment among girls from low socio-economic backgrounds increased by 5.9%, which represented a significant reduction in the enrollment gap in STEM fields.
A Future Full of Possibilities
What this innovative approach shows us is that while the challenge of changing gender stereotypes is significant, it is not insurmountable. By combining technology with the power of media, we can reach millions of people and change the narrative from childhood. Television, chatbots, and WhatsApp provide us with powerful tools to empower girls and women and encourage them to enter fields that have historically been dominated by men.
In the end, what started as a simple idea to combine three key inventions from different eras has resulted in an intervention model that has been expanded to transform how girls see their future in STEM. Just like the television from my grandmother’s time changed the world, it’s possible that today’s girls, empowered by technology, will be the ones to invent the future we can’t yet imagine.
Leave a Reply