girls faith in their science abilities also seems to vary with the type of task they are asked to perform chapter in this report discusses evidence on women s underrepresentation in science technology engineering and mathematics stem subjects and careers and emphasises the importance of programmes aimed at challenging genderstereotypical attitudes and expectations and at building girl s selfconfidence in stem fields governments must also tackle discriminatory norms attitudes and practices through for example genderawareness training media programmes and the endorsement of girls education by community leaders