The gap that Matilda will bridge: a look at the Colombian case

Abstract

Objective To determine gender gaps in Emeritus researchers in Colombia. Methods Oaxaca-Blinder-Kitakagwa decomposition model, correcting the sample selection bias with the inclusion of Mills’ inverse ratio (Heckman’s Lambda) through an ordered probit model. Data: Information available in the ScienTI Platform – Colombia during the period 2015-2021. Results The results show that the gender gap between female and male researchers is 5.8%. To achieve Emeritus status, one must be over 65 years old, and the possibility of achieving Emeritus status is 5.1% higher for female researchers than for their male counterparts. These differences can be explained by the time constraints that female researchers face in being productive, as they spend more time than male researchers on caregiving responsibilities, either due to motherhood or the care of other dependent family members. Conclusions The results obtained allow us to affirm that there is a gender gap in scientific research in Colombia in the Emeritus research category in the calls for proposals for the period 2015-2021. Moreover, the existing gap cannot be explained by factors associated with attributes of education and academic productivity that are part of the regulatory requirements, insofar as not being explained by them, it evidences the existence of discrimination against women researchers to access the highest research category.