On March 19th, Maine Women in Tech had the honor of hosting a small cohort of women from Bhutan. These bright women were recognized as leaders in STEM and were invited to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a prestigious professional exchange program run by the U.S. Department of State. The program took them on a whirlwind tour of tech hubs throughout the United States, including a four-day itinerary in Portland that was organized by the World Affairs Council of Maine.
MWIT kicked off the meeting with a presentation about the history and purpose of our organization, techniques for empowering women in STEM, and examples of advocacy by other exemplary organizations. Then, after learning a bit about each other’s backgrounds and goals, we enjoyed an in-depth conversation about the struggles and triumphs of women in STEM in the US and Bhutan. We learned that, despite living over 7,000 miles apart, our experiences are more similar than different.
One of the more striking differences was regarding maternity leave and childcare. In Bhutan, mothers can enjoy six months of maternity leave. However, Bhutanese childcare facilities do not accept children younger than twelve months old. That leaves a six-month gap where it is very challenging for mothers to return to their jobs. While these policies are not necessarily specific to STEM fields, they do add to the challenge of increasing female representation in STEM careers.
As the dialogue continued, it became evident that our collective strength lies in learning from each other, collaboration, solidarity, mutual support, and advocacy. It was a privilege to meet with this impressive group of women, and we look forward to keeping in touch as we work towards a future where every woman has the opportunity to thrive in STEM.
If you would like to meet with Maine Women in Tech, send us a message at info@mainewit.org
Learn more about the International Visitor Leadership Program here
Learn more about the World Affairs Council of Maine here
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