Only 51 female Nobel laureates in past 117 years!

The Nobel Prizes are the most prestigious awards in the world given for intellectual achievements in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, Physiology or Medicine, and Economic Sciences.

Named after Alfred Nobel, the awards have been awarded to the women 52 times between 1901 and 2018. Only Marie Curie was honoured twice, with the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics and the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. This means that only 51 women in total have won the Nobels in the past 117 years.

Women have claimed the Nobel Prize at least 12 times in peace, literature and medicine. Economics is almost exclusively dominated by men. Till date, only one woman - Elinor Ostrom - has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2009 for her analysis on economic governance. She had to share it with US-born Oliver E Williamson.

This year, three women have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Physics and Peace.

Many women are playing important roles in science and mathematics. But recognition to their contributions do not seem very significant to the Nobel Committee. This is unfair.

The world claims social justice and equity for women. But then there are silent biases of this sort in most sectors. The Nobel Committee should change their attitude towards women, especially in the fields of Physics, Chemistry and Economics.

Md. Zillur Rahaman

Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd.

Lalmohan Branch, Bhola.

[email protected]