International Women's Day highlights challenges in science and business

Dr Kate Criswell studies the evolution of sharks, skates and rays at the Gillis Lab as part of the department of zoology at Cambridge University

Women still face challenges in the sciences and in business, despite the strides they have made, BBC Politics East has been told.

In advance of International Women's Day on Tuesday, the BBC looked at the issues still facing women.

A recent study found that women make up just 12.8% of the Stem (Science, Technology and Maths) workforce.

Cambridge University scientist Dr Kate Criswell encouraged women to take up science.

"I think it's a great career for women as it allows you to explore your curiosity and your creativity. You can follow your passion and figure out what you are interested in and and follow that," she said.

Dr Criswell, who is studying the evolution of sharks and skates at the Gillis Lab, said the lack of women in science could be partly "because they don't often see themselves at the highest levels at universities".

"For me personally I have never had a proper formal mentor who was a woman, from doing my undergraduate degree to now," she said.

"I think it can be difficult if you don't see [someone like] yourself in those positions."

Dr Criswell will appear with other female scientists at a talk at Cambridge's Museum of Zoology on Tuesday.

Angie Novell said the Soroptimists support a number of charities including the Red Cross and the YMCA

Vanessa Gwynn, one of the founders of the Milton Keynes branch of Soroptimists International, which campaigns to improve the lives of women, said the group was dedicated to "enabling and educating women and girls and to see them advance".

Fellow Soroptimist Angie Novell said: "The kinds of things we have done include tackling loneliness and isolation during the pandemic through supporting agencies like the YMCA to recreate a safe place for a young person.

"Soroptimists don't seek the limelight. We're about shining a light on others."

Women's pay and representation

• The House of Commons found that average weekly pay for female full-time employees was £558 at April 2021, compared to £652 for males

• Of the UK's small and medium-sized businesses with employees, only 16% were led by women in 2020

• In June 2021, 37.7% of directors of FTSE100 companies were women, up from 29% in June 2019

• In science, according to a report carried out by UNESCO, only 33% of the world's researchers are women, despite the fact they represent 45% and 55% of students at the bachelor and master degree levels of study respectively

Nicola O'Dea-Patel is the founder of Love Local Hub which helps support women-run businesses and is based at Centre MK in Milton Keynes.

She said: "The hub came about with a real desire to help small businesses. We saw there was a real movement towards shopping local and we support local businesses particularly by being in a big shopping centre like Centre MK.

"We also have a training programme funded by Milton Keynes Council and that enables sellers to come in and have shelf space for a certain period of time to trial their products.

"At the same time they have a business boot camp which goes over the basics of running a business and really helps them set their goals."

Nicola O'Dea-Patel, who founded the Love Local Hub in Milton Keynes, hopes the idea might expand to other areas

One of the businesses supported by the Hub is Mama Fillie Creative Designs, run by Sharon Conway.

Ms Conway told the BBC: "It's given us a platform to reach people we would never have been able to reach, through being in the city centre. We've been able to grow here."

Politics East airs on BBC One in the East on Sunday, 6 March at 10:00 GMT and can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer afterwards.