Comparative Analysis of the Gender Gap in STEM in Peru and Japan Using RuleWatcher

Author

Samia Littly Jahavely Fernandez Güimac

Researcher at the National University Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza (Peru)

PhD Student in Applied Chemistry and Life Sciences at Toyohashi University of Technology (Japan)

Introduction

Since I was a child, I've heard phrases like "science is for men" or "women should study easy careers". While studying Environmental Engineering, I observed that less than one-third of my classmates were women, and barely 50% of them managed to complete the degree. This sparked my interest in this issue. Throughout my training as a researcher, I became involved in activities that promote gender equality in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), under the guidance of an inspiring mentor at the National University Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza, Amazonas, Peru. Now, as a doctoral student in Japan, I have noticed that the low participation of women in STEM is not an isolated problem but a matter of global concern. My internship at OSINTech has given me the invaluable opportunity to use RuleWatcher (RW), a digital platform that compiles, translates, and organizes updated information on laws, regulations, and policies from different countries. RW enables researchers and organizations to track, compare, and analyze regulatory frameworks in real time, offering a broader understanding of how specific issues are addressed worldwide. By applying this tool, I have been able to explore the policies that govern women’s participation in STEM, facilitating a comparative analysis of how these challenges are approached in such different contexts as Peru and Japan.

The Problem Behind Female Underrepresentation in STEM

Gender inequality in STEM is one of the major challenges of our time. Globally, women represent less than one-third of the workforce in these fields. This not only reflects an equity gap but also creates a serious obstacle to economic development. Countries lose competitiveness and innovation by failing to take advantage of the talent of half their population, while companies limit their creativity and reduce their ability to design inclusive solutions. The problem is not a lack of female ability, but rather the cultural and structural barriers that hinder their access to and retention in STEM. If this situation doesn't change, wage inequality, technological biases, and the lack of human resources to face global challenges will deepen.

In this context, RuleWatcher is essential. Beyond general statistics, it offers access to primary source documents such as government policies, international reports, and NGO publications, which allows for a detailed analysis of how equity measures are implemented, identifying gaps and comparing strategies between countries. Thus, it becomes a key tool for understanding and proposing effective solutions to global problems like female underrepresentation in STEM.

The Use of RuleWatcher as an Analytical Tool

The research process was built systematically. It began with a broad, foundational search to establish a baseline of information using RuleWatcher's various filters. For example, under #Themes, I used the keywords: "World Education" AND "Universal Human Rights" OR "Corporate Human Rights". Under #TAGS I used "Women" AND "Gender Inequality" , under #OrganizationType I used "Govt." , and in the search bar I used "Women in STEM" or "Women in Science" or "Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics" (Figure 1). This initial query provided a global overview and a sense of the main organizations involved.

Figure 1. Foundational search on RuleWatcher to establish a baseline of information related to women in STEM.

After that, I used RuleWatcher's advanced options like TreeMap, which allowed me to visualize the most relevant topics associated with my search (Figure 2), as well as Transition, with which I could observe the trends by country on my topic of interest (Figure 3).

Figure 2. Visualization of information using the TreeMap tool.

Figure 3. Visualization of information using the Transition tool.

To perform the comparative analysis, a geo-targeted search was applied using the #Country variable, selecting "Peru" (Figure 4) or "Japan" (Figure 5). The information obtained for each country was examined using the previously described tools and supplemented by downloading data in CSV format. Additionally, the use of artificial intelligence made it possible to process and contrast the results with other sources, which contributed to a more robust interpretation and the obtainment of more relevant findings.

Figure 3. Geo-targeted search on women in STEM in Peru.

Figure 4. Geo-targeted search on women in STEM in Japan.

Key Findings

The analysis with RuleWatcher made it possible to identify relevant contrasts between countries regarding gender equality in science, technology, and innovation (STI).

Peru: The Gap Between Policy and Practice

• Regulatory frameworks and inclusive programs exist, such as the Committee for Women in STI, the STEM for All program, and the UNESCO-L'Oréal-CONCYTEC-ANC award.

• However, problems with execution, bureaucracy, and a lack of resources persist, which limit the real impact of these measures.

• The main challenge is not the absence of political will but ensuring that policies translate into effective and sustainable results.

Japan: The Paradox of Academic Excellence

• Japanese female students achieve high scores in mathematics and science (e.g., PISA), but they have low participation in university STEM careers.

• Educational policy emphasizes formal equality and the promotion of women in science, but social and cultural barriers continue to discourage their entry into engineering, manufacturing, and construction.

• The central challenge goes beyond academics: it is to transform cultural norms that hold back high-achieving women.

Why RuleWatcher Was Useful

• RuleWatcher allowed for the immediate identification of regional and contextual differences in the gender gap in STEM.

• The platform facilitated quick access to official and up-to-date sources in multiple languages.

• The option to export data in CSV format made it possible to combine quantitative and qualitative analyses, strengthening the comparative interpretation between both countries.

• Additionally, visualization tools like TreeMap and Transition, made it possible to intuitively detect patterns, connections, and contrasts that would have gone unnoticed with traditional methods.

Comparison with Other Methods

• Academic Databases (Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science): These platforms are essential for accessing peer-reviewed articles and scientific knowledge, but they rarely provide updated regulatory or legal information. Searching for policies or gender-related regulations within them is often indirect, fragmented, and limited by publication delays.

• High-Impact Journals: While valuable for theoretical and case-based insights, journals are not designed to track the continuous evolution of policies across countries. Their focus is more on analysis than on up-to-date data.

• RuleWatcher (RW): Rather than competing with academic databases, RW complements them. It ensures reliable and timely information directly from primary regulatory sources, which can then be connected to academic findings. This synergy allows researchers to build more complete analyses, combining real-time policies with scientific evidence.

Conclusions and Future Perspectives

Comparing the gender gap in STEM between Peru and Japan shows that, although the challenges for women in science and technology are universal, they present themselves in very different ways depending on the country. This is where RuleWatcher becomes key: this tool allows quick access to official information, enabling it to be contrasted and patterns to be visualized that might otherwise go unnoticed, improving the quality of the comparative analysis.

Moving forward, its use can enhance the constant monitoring of policies, support cultural change strategies, ensure the sustainability of programs, and expand to broader studies in different countries, generating solid evidence that supports public policy decisions and global advocacy actions.