Phase 2 UNOOSA Space4Women Report

Phase 2 of a landmark Space4Women study was released by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), by lead researcher and ASDA co-founder Dr Elise Stephenson with support of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA).

Phase 2 focuses on women’s experiences and gender representation in the private sector of the global space industry. It builds on Phase 1, which surveyed public sector space organisations, making this the first comprehensive analysis of gender dynamics in commercial and non-state space entities.

Key findings reinforce Phase 1 findings that women remain underrepresented in leadership, technical, and decision-making roles within private space firms. Barriers identified include unconscious bias, lack of mentoring, limited flexible work policies, and unequal access to funding and networks.

Overall, representation of women in the SME private sector is significantly better than the public sector, with 50% of board roles with women (see Figure 13 from the report).

Interestingly, almost a third of participants (29 per cent) have experienced backlash or pushback to gender equality in the space sector (including a sense that DEI movements have gone “too far”). It is thus not unexpected that women in both the public and private sector were less optimistic about gender equality progress in the last 12 months.

It is positive though that New Space SMEs studied are outperforming the public sector when it comes to women’s representation in leadership and in certain types of roles such as astronaut training programmes.

The report concludes with recommendations for the private space sector:

1. Strengthen the commitment to gender initiatives and goals such as adopting inclusive hiring and promotion practices,

2. Expand participation in research and engagement opportunities – evidence based and data driven is best practice for all other sectors.

3. Taking a mixed approach to implementing gender equality interventions including establishing gender equity policies, accountability frameworks, mentorship and training, and

4. Taking a ‘fix systems’ not a ‘fix women’ approach promote transparency in metrics and reporting and not leaving gender issues as a problem for primarily women to fix.

The study encourages partnerships among governments, industry and civil society to support capacity building, especially in underrepresented regions. In Australia, the Australian Space Diversity Alliance mission is to advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity and access principles, increase participation of diverse groups, and ensure that the sector reflects the full spectrum of Australian capabilities and talent.

Download the Phase 2 study

Key statistics from Phase 2 report

Positive outcomes:

• A majority of women consistently agreed to feeling respected (67 per cent), valued (61 per cent) and safe (70 per cent) in their organisations.

• Most women were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with their organisation with regard to psychological safety, cultural safety, feeling respected, and feeling like they belonged.

• Most women were satisfied or extremely satisfied with their organisations’ other benefits and conditions of employment and mobility (e.g. support to travel or take up other opportunities, conferences, or events).

• A higher proportion of women were either satisfied or extremely satisfied (compared to dissatisfied or extremely dissatisfied) with pay and remuneration, other benefits and conditions of employment, mobility, professional development and future career opportunities.

• Most women were satisfied with their organisation’s flexible work (71 per cent), parental leave and other kinds of leave provisions (59 per cent).

Areas for improvement:

• Women were least satisfied with their organisations when it came to feeling like their concerns were heard and actioned, with participants consistently more likely to respond negatively (or neutrally) to this question than other related questions.

• Almost half of women surveyed have experienced covert bias at some point since joining the sector, and just under one in five have experienced it in the last 12 months.

• One in three women experienced overt bias (33 per cent) and discrimination (33 per cent) at some point since joining the space sector.

• One in five have experienced bullying (22 per cent) since joining the sector.

• Approximately one in six (16 per cent) had experienced sexual harassment at some point

• 10 per cent of women had experienced physical harassment.

• Almost a third of women (33 per cent) did not feel represented, and almost half (46 per cent) neither agreed nor disagreed to feeling safe in their organisation.

Read ASDA’s Phase 1 findings here.

Thanks to National Committee Member, Anntonette Dailey.