Article type
Abstract
Background: Gender disparities among Brazilian researchers present a complex issue that significantly impedes the advancement of women throughout various stages of their academic and research careers. These inequalities are evident in several areas, including underrepresentation in leadership roles and unequal access to resources and funding opportunities. Moreover, disparities faced by non-white researchers highlight systemic issues deeply ingrained within academic and research institutions. Additionally, researchers from economically disadvantaged regions, particularly in the North and Northeast of Brazil, encounter numerous obstacles in accessing research resources due to socioeconomic, structural, and geographical factors that hinder research development in these areas.
Objective: To examine gender, geographical representation, and racial inequities among Brazilian researchers.
Methods: Descriptive analysis was conducted to identify gender, geographical representation, and racial disparities among Brazilian researchers, utilizing data from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) platform. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. There was no public involvement in this study.
Results: Notably, women are more prevalent in the education sector, constituting 53.69% of PhD graduates. However, despite outnumbering men in scientific initiation scholarships and earning master's and doctoral degrees, women make up only 11.2% of CNPq Research Productivity scholarship recipients at the senior level. Ethnic-racial classification reveals a higher proportion of white researchers (63.2%), with brown researchers accounting for 21.6% and black researchers only 5.5%, indicating significant racial inequality within Brazilian science (Figure 1). Furthermore, analysis of regional distribution indicates São Paulo as the state with the highest concentration of doctoral degree holders, followed by Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais in the southeast region. The remaining states in the top five are situated in southern Brazil, highlighting the concentration of scientific activity in the south-southeast axis and contributing to regional disparities in Brazilian science.
Conclusion: The profound inequality observed in the allocation of productivity grants, both across broad activity areas and concerning gender, ethnic-racial classification, and regional representation, underscores the urgent need for new public policies aimed at promoting and fostering equitable conditions in Brazilian research.
Objective: To examine gender, geographical representation, and racial inequities among Brazilian researchers.
Methods: Descriptive analysis was conducted to identify gender, geographical representation, and racial disparities among Brazilian researchers, utilizing data from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) platform. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. There was no public involvement in this study.
Results: Notably, women are more prevalent in the education sector, constituting 53.69% of PhD graduates. However, despite outnumbering men in scientific initiation scholarships and earning master's and doctoral degrees, women make up only 11.2% of CNPq Research Productivity scholarship recipients at the senior level. Ethnic-racial classification reveals a higher proportion of white researchers (63.2%), with brown researchers accounting for 21.6% and black researchers only 5.5%, indicating significant racial inequality within Brazilian science (Figure 1). Furthermore, analysis of regional distribution indicates São Paulo as the state with the highest concentration of doctoral degree holders, followed by Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais in the southeast region. The remaining states in the top five are situated in southern Brazil, highlighting the concentration of scientific activity in the south-southeast axis and contributing to regional disparities in Brazilian science.
Conclusion: The profound inequality observed in the allocation of productivity grants, both across broad activity areas and concerning gender, ethnic-racial classification, and regional representation, underscores the urgent need for new public policies aimed at promoting and fostering equitable conditions in Brazilian research.