Beyond the shadows: How women in Kazakhstan are overcoming STEM barriers

A modern allegory of the cave

When it comes to the place of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), modern society is still much like Plato's cave: for years, seeing only the "shadows" of stereotypes ("this is not women's work," "women should stay at home"), society accepts them as truth.

Those who have already overcome these barriers face difficulty in returning. Accustomed to the light, they bring with them experiences of freedom and new ideas about possibilities, but often encounter distrust or misunderstanding. People who remain in the "cave" are not always ready to believe that another path exists — it is easier to continue believing what has seemed true all their lives.

The beginning of the journey

Despite equal abilities and knowledge, girls face difficulties due to prejudiced attitudes from others. From their first day of education, they have to fight against doubts about their competence.

Dameliya Kanafina, a biotechnologist by education and now a Business Development manager, shared her experience:

"I faced stereotypes even in school. When I was preparing for the UNT (Unified National Testing) in chemistry and biology, teachers said these subjects were 'not for girls,' and that guys supposedly did better. Later, in my first year of university, this was repeated: male teachers openly said that 'mathematics and physics won't be useful to you — you'll get married anyway.' Even among female teachers, sexism was encountered: one of them clearly gave preference to boys and gave us lower grades," recalls Kanafina.

Segizbay Yeligay, research assistant at Nazarbayev University, will soon begin her master's studies at an American university. She is well aware of the challenges women face in technical fields.

Once, some of her male classmates laughed when they found out she was participating in a research project with a professor. What hurt even more was when a woman she knew at the university suggested that Yeligay should consider a "more feminine" field, like finance or marketing, instead of continuing her studies in mathematics.

A home that does not always provide support

Girls in technical or scientific fields often have to prove the validity of their choice. Family may consider their path in STEM a temporary stage rather than a real career. Such attitudes make them doubt their choice, intensify feelings of loneliness, and undermine confidence.

Anastasia Chernyavskaya, a 1C programmer from Karaganda, shared her thoughts on the importance of family on the career path of a STEM specialist.

"The most important thing is family support. If you have faith in yourself, if your family supports you, then everything else becomes less significant. My family has always supported me. In such conditions, no barriers, such as employment problems or social pressure, will hinder you." 

Another important problem faced by women in STEM is combining work and family responsibilities. According to traditional stereotypes, it is the woman who should take on the main responsibilities at home and for family care, which, in turn, can become a significant obstacle to career advancement.

Barriers to career progression

The first serious obstacle after receiving a diploma is finding a job. Girls are often denied employment not because of lack of qualifications, but because of gender stereotypes, despite good education, practical skills, and high motivation.

Anastasia Chernyavskaya recalls an episode from a job fair:

"At a job fair in my senior year we were given a technical assignment, and candidates were selected based on its results. When I entered, they told me: 'Why did you come? We're mainly going to hire guys.' I replied that I also wanted to try — maybe they would like my solution. But, from what I felt, they didn't even consider my work. Although a male classmate who was sitting next to me solved the problems the same way — we just helped each other. He was hired, I wasn't. Apparently, they initially did not plan to hire girls."

Ainaz Zhumakhan, working as a verification engineer, often encountered common stereotypes: that men cope better with pressure and lead more effectively. She notes that the unspoken support between men makes career prospects for women more difficult.

She also shared her experience working at facilities where she is often the only woman among men:

"In such situations, men from other companies often addressed my male colleagues, not me, although the question concerned my professional activities as well."

Lack of mentors

The absence of female mentors in the professional environment becomes a serious barrier. Mentors share experience in overcoming gender stereotypes, help avoid typical mistakes, and suggest how to build a career without losing self-confidence. Their presence makes the path in STEM less thorny.

"At the university, there wasn't a single person I could approach for advice. Everyone was left to themselves. It was the same at work. There was no one to turn to," Dameliya Kanafina recalls.

At the same time, her experience shows how much can change if such a person does appear:

"When I moved to another field, I was lucky with a leader who became a real mentor. This affected both my work and my self-confidence. Thanks to this support, my perception of myself as a specialist and as a woman changed."

Women's communities and mentors played a crucial role in supporting Yeligay. At Nazarbayev University, she participated in the Women in STEM community (WISS), where girls share their achievements and support each other. She thinks that such communities help create a sense of belonging and showcase success stories of other young women.

Ainaz Zhumakhan also says that at the beginning of her journey, she lacked female mentors:

"At the beginning of my career, I was a really lost person, didn't know where to go. But everything changed when I met those who began to support and guide me — now one of my colleagues is like a mentor to me, I can ask her anything."

She adds that now she feels real support: the company has women's associations and training, and most importantly, informal connections that help her grow.

The small number of women in STEM creates another problem — competition among the girls themselves. This is not their personal unwillingness to help each other, but a result of the system. In a world where little space is allocated for women, they have to compete fiercely for limited positions.

"It seemed that the girls around were keeping their distance, even with some competition," recalls Zhumakhan about the beginning of her career.

This environment encourages individual survival over cooperation. This is a consequence of deep gender inequality, not personal qualities. To change this, it's important to create more opportunities, support a mentoring culture, and show that one woman's success does not preclude another's.

Women who hold leadership positions and demonstrate leadership can influence corporate culture — making it more inclusive and fair. Where there are female leaders, attention is typically paid to the development of all specialists regardless of gender. Without this change, the system remains closed, and stereotypes continue to reproduce.

What is already changing?

Ainaz Zhumakhan, who works in the oil sector, notes that the situation is slowly changing. In her new team, which includes many young professionals, the environment is becoming more comfortable.

"It's much easier to work now—the mindset is different. Also, any form of harassment is absolutely unacceptable in our team; it's dealt with immediately," she says.

According to Dameliya Kanafina, young leaders and teams bring a fresh perspective to corporate culture. They value professional skills, create equal conditions, and transparent competition instead of relying on personal connections.

Another example of positive change was the experience of Anastasia Chernyavskaya from Karaganda. She noted that she had never encountered gender discrimination in the workplace. On the contrary, she is surprised by the very fact that such situations are possible. She adds that in the case of a toxic atmosphere, it's important to simply not stay in such a company or avoid communicating with those who show disrespect.

In addition, Anastasia notices positive changes in interest in technical professions among women:

"During the teaching of an IT course on 1C, the composition of participants was almost equal — about half were girls. I think more and more women are ready to try themselves in these fields."

Advice for future female specialists

Dameliya Kanafina, a technology specialist, shares her thoughts on what is important for girls seeking to build a career in STEM:

"If a girl has a desire to work on important and large-scale projects, for example, in the field of ecology or medicine, and if she has dreamed since childhood of developing something significant, she should strive for this goal, despite the difficulties."

However, she notes that health is the top priority. She started her career in biotechnology — worked in laboratories, participated in the restoration of endangered apple tree species, and also tested products. But due to harmful working conditions and health problems, she had to change professions. According to Kanafina, such cases raise an important issue: it is necessary to create safe working conditions.

Verification engineer Ainaz Zhumakhan is confident that the main thing is to be a strong specialist and not allow others' attitudes to interfere with development.

"Don't be afraid to learn, ask questions, or seem like you don't know something. There are very few good specialists out there, especially those who are proactive and responsible, and if you are one of them, people will be eager to work with you."

Segizbay Yeligay advises future specialists to definitely find a mentor. She emphasizes that the mentor's gender is not important — whether a woman or a man. The key is that this person supports and helps in professional and personal growth. A mentor can even be a friend or a mother, the main thing is having the opportunity to share both successes and challenges.

Women in STEM still face significant obstacles, but the courage of those breaking through narrow expectations signals a promising shift.

Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the United Kingdom hosted a briefing titled Political Reforms in Kazakhstan: Women’s Empowerment and the Rule of Law.