Science and gender equality are both crucial to a country’s development and essential to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. FAO offices across the world are taking active measures to encourage female applicants and to recruit women, and REDD+ is no exception. There are many women working in various scientific areas related to REDD+, continuously contributing to reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation in countries around the world and eventually mitigating climate change. On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February, we talked to Naila Yasmin, a remote sensing and GIS analyst from Pakistan, working in the REDD+/National Forest Monitoring Team of the Forestry Department at FAO headquarters in Rome.

Naila, tell us what inspired you to work on GIS and remote sensing?

Naila: Since the first time I studied remote sensing and GIS in my bachelor's programme at International Islamic University, Islamabad, I was fascinated by the process of accessing such vast geographic information and manipulating it to respond to a range of questions. At that time, I decided to use this technique for my final research project. This decision paved the way for me to get a job in the RS/GIS field. Fortunately, I got international exposure during my Masters that helped me in enhancing my skills. I was greatly influenced by my family especially my mom and elder brother who encouraged me to pursue my dreams, and here I am working in FAO together with world experts.

What are you working on right now?

Naila: Currently, I take part in two projects. For the first one I am part of a team working on satellite land monitoring systems (SLMS) as a tool to monitor deforestation in developing countries. There, I am providing technical support to REDD+ countries in remote sensing activities. I am currently working with Sudan and have provided training in the country in October 2017 and January 2018.

The second project is called Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE), and it also operates in a somehow different context, looking at improved energy access and forestry activities in the context of humanitarian crises. My role in this project is to provide woody biomass estimates around refugee camps using high-resolution satellite images along with field data. This data serve as the basis for our partners like UNHCR, to plan how the energy requirement of refugees can be met by looking into minimizing the gaps of supply and demand. Our team supports SAFE activities in different countries like Chad and Ethiopia, and we are currently working in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda, together with FAO’s colleagues from Emergency and Rehabilitation.

Are there any challenges for women in science that have been echoed throughout your career?

Naila: I believe that support from your family is always very important to achieve any objectives in life, especially if you are coming from a society where women are discouraged from being ambitious in their careers. There have been important advances in gender equality in Pakistan in recent years. Last week, Punjab Cabinet approved Punjab Women Development Policy 2018 that aims at enhancing gender responsiveness to climate change. Pakistani women today are more likely to participate in the labour force and decision-making, but there is still a lot to do. Trust and encouragement from your family can give you strength to achieve your objectives.

Luckily, I have always been surrounded by wonderful colleagues and a good office environment throughout my career.  However, if I talk about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) generally in my country, unfortunately, women currently make up only 18% of Pakistan’s STEM professionals. One of the main reasons for women not opting for STEM subjects is due to stereotypes. According to my experience, women do not have any issues in choosing STEM fields for education. The challenge starts when they want to work in those fields professionally. Due to social pressures like household responsibilities and the absence of female-friendly working environments, women feel discouraged and ultimately leave their jobs.

Women have an immense potential to excel and create an impact in whatever sectors of the economy they participate in. Starting from STEM, and all the way to other sectors, women are putting in an effort, which is impressive. If their capabilities are utilized to their fullest, the differences in the economic indicators will be magnificent, I believe. More efforts from governments will also be very encouraging to provide women and girls with equal education and job opportunities in STEM.

How do you think we can encourage more girls and women to get involved in STEM subjects?

Naila:  It is important to encourage girls as well as boys’ interest in the subject and recruit women and men in STEM fields so both genders have a possibility to gain skills, become technologically savvy and build their careers. Gender equality in STEM fields cannot be achieved overnight but we can try changing the mindset that is keeping girls and women away from the STEM fields. I think one can encourage women to be more involved in STEM by:

• Highlighting female STEM role models to empower women and achieve gender equality.
• Changing women’s mindsets about applying for STEM professions, but also how families and communities see female STEM professionals.
• Encouraging teachers and parents to empower both daughters and sons to succeed professionally.
• Inspiring women and girls to get access and use excellent learning facilities that exist in universities.

Naila, what are your next goals?

Naila: I definitely want to pursue my career in the same direction as of now. I would love to continue supporting countries’ access to forest and land use information and find new ways they can benefit through using these technologies for the betterment and advancement of their society.

Useful links:

Secretary-General's Message on International Day of Women and Girls in Science

More on National Forest Monitoring Systems

More on Safe Access to Fuel and Energy

For more information, please contact: Naila Yasmin, Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst, Forestry Department, FAO ([email protected])

First published on the UN-REDD Workspace. Photo credit: Maryia Kukharava/FAO

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