PARTICIPATION, RETENTION, AND BELONGING OF WOMEN IN STEM IN BRAZILIAN ACADEMIC PRODUCTION: INPUT FOR DIALOGUES WITH THE MOZAMBICAN CONTEXT

Abstract

This study analyzes how Brazilian academic production characterizes policies, incentives, and institutional strategies aimed at the participation, permanence, and belonging of women in STEM, seeking inputs for dialogues with the Mozambican context. A Systematic Literature Review was conducted, guided by the State of Knowledge approach and PRISMA 2020, with searches in OASISBr and Google Scholar (2015–2025), resulting in a corpus of 21 studies (6 doctoral theses and 15 articles). Analysis was organized in four axes: Pedagogical, Financial, and Psychosocial Support Actions, and Institutional Changes. Results show that women's persistence depends on the coordination between tutoring, mentoring, scholarships, support networks, psychological counseling, harassment prevention, maternity support, and curricular transformations. Isolated actions produce limited effects, while articulated policies foster belonging. The study identifies a tension between individual resilience and the need for systemic institutional reform, concluding that equity in STEM requires inclusive and culturally sensitive university environments responsive to Brazilian and Mozambican specificities.