The Status, Stories and Experiences of Arab-Kuwaiti Women Enrolled in STEM Workplaces

Throughout the history of STEM, women have made significant strides towards narrowing gender gap in scientific and technical fields. However, there remains an under-representation of women in leadership positions. The term STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine—has gained prominence as a focal point for global discussions on gender equality. Addressing the persistent underrepresentation of women in STEM requires a deeper understanding of their pathways, challenges, and lived experiences. The objective of this research is to examine the extent of women’s participation in STEM workplaces and academic programs, with particular focus on Kuwait. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach, utilizing interviews and questionnaires to document perspectives in greater depth. The work is driven by three guiding questions: (1) What factors motivate women to pursue STEM majors? (2) What underlying causes contribute to gender gap in STEM workforce? (3) What barriers and challenges do women encounter in STEM careers? Findings show that multiple factors encourage women in Kuwait to choose STEM disciplines, even though gender gap in workplaces persists. The results highlight entrenched barriers such as social stereotypes, gender biases within organizational hierarchies, and unsupportive workplace environments. These obstacles collectively hinder women’s career progression and restrict their access to leadership opportunities. By focusing on Arab women within the MENA region, this research provides culturally contextualized insights into gender participation in STEM and offers recommendations to foster greater support, advancement into leadership, guidance for policymakers and institutional leaders seeking to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in scientific and technical domains.