Why Cambodia Cannot Achieve Its Innovation Goals Without More Women in STEM: ADB Study

A new ADB–CDRI study finds that Cambodia’s STEM sector is losing significant female talent despite rising female enrollment in higher education, with women making up only 17% of tertiary STEM students and facing barriers in education, employment, pay, and career advancement. The report warns that closing these gender gaps is essential for Cambodia’s digital transformation, green growth ambitions, and long-term economic competitiveness.

A new study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) warns that Cambodia risks falling short of its digital transformation and industrial modernization goals unless it addresses the persistent gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The report finds that despite major improvements in women's access to higher education, female participation in STEM remains among the lowest in Southeast Asia. Women account for only 17% of tertiary STEM students, with particularly low representation in engineering and information and communication technology (ICT), two sectors expected to drive future growth, innovation, and competitiveness.

As Cambodia seeks to build a knowledge-based economy and expand its digital and green industries, the underutilization of women's talent represents both an economic and development challenge.

Women Are Still Missing from High-Growth STEM Fields

The study shows that Cambodia has made significant progress in expanding higher education opportunities for women. However, this progress has not translated into equal participation in STEM disciplines.

Among young adults aged 18–25, female participation in engineering and ICT stands at only 5%, compared with 22% for men. Women are better represented in the health sciences but remain largely absent from technical fields associated with higher wages and future job growth.

Family influence, social expectations, and limited career information continue to shape educational choices. Women are 10 percentage points more likely than men to say that family opinions influenced their choice of university major.

Many families still view teaching, administration, business, and health care as more suitable professions for women, while engineering and technology are often considered male-dominated occupations. These perceptions discourage many girls from pursuing technical careers even when they have strong academic abilities.

The report argues that unless governments address these social barriers early through schools, career guidance, and awareness campaigns, gender gaps in STEM will continue to persist.

The STEM Pipeline Is Leaking Female Talent

Even when women successfully graduate from STEM programs, many do not remain in STEM careers.

According to the study, 77% of male STEM graduates secured their first job in a STEM-related field, compared with 68% of female graduates. The gap widens over time.

Only 43% of women said their current job is strongly related to STEM, compared with 62% of men. When occupations were classified independently, only 51% of female STEM graduates were working in STEM-related jobs, compared with 61% of male STEM graduates.

The situation is particularly worrying in engineering and ICT. Among engineering graduates, only 55% of women remain in STEM careers, compared with 74% of men. In ICT, just 43% of women continue working in STEM jobs, while 65% of men stay in the sector.

For policymakers, these findings suggest that increasing enrollment alone is not enough. Greater attention is needed to support women during the transition from education to employment and throughout their professional careers.

Economic Costs and Business Risks Are Growing

The gender gap carries significant economic consequences.

Cambodia faces growing demand for skilled workers in technology, engineering, renewable energy, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. Yet a large share of female STEM graduates either leave technical professions or never enter them.

The study also highlights a substantial wage gap. Male STEM workers earn an average monthly salary of $624, while women earn about $464, meaning women earn roughly 26% less in STEM occupations.

Women are more likely to work in government institutions, microenterprises, education, and health-related sectors, while men dominate ICT, engineering, scientific services, and larger private firms.

Private-sector stakeholders should view this not only as a social issue but also as a business challenge. Companies that fail to attract and retain female talent risk narrowing their talent pool at a time when skilled workers are increasingly scarce.

At the same time, firms that invest in flexible work arrangements, mentorship programs, leadership development, and safe working environments can gain a competitive advantage by accessing a broader workforce and improving employee retention.

What Governments and Development Partners Should Do Next

The report concludes that closing Cambodia's STEM gender gap is essential for achieving long-term economic growth, innovation, and social inclusion.

For governments, the priority should be embedding gender-responsive STEM education throughout the school system. Career guidance should be strengthened at critical education stages, while scholarship and recruitment programs should target girls in underrepresented STEM fields.

Development partners can play a key role by moving beyond small-scale scholarship programs toward system-wide reforms. This includes supporting female mentorship networks, strengthening university-industry partnerships, improving labour market information systems, and expanding opportunities for girls in rural areas.

The study also highlights the importance of addressing unpaid care work. Married women spend around 4.5 hours per day on childcare and household responsibilities, compared with 2.2 hours for married men. Better childcare services, family-friendly workplace policies, and flexible work arrangements could help more women remain in STEM careers.

For the private sector, the opportunity is clear. Businesses that actively recruit, develop, and retain female STEM professionals will be better positioned to meet future skills demands and contribute to Cambodia's digital and green economy transition.

The report delivers a clear message: Cambodia's future competitiveness will depend not only on producing more STEM graduates but also on ensuring that women can enter, remain, and advance in the sectors that will shape the country's economic future.