As part of a successful response to global challenges ranging from improving health care delivery and combatting climate change, harnessing all talent is necessary. Women must therefore play an integral part in scientific and technological communities.
Discover the many female pioneers of STEM fields and encourage young girls to pursue their passions. Now is the time to shatter stereotypes and end discrimination!
Theme: Innovate. Demonstrate. Elevate. Advance
The United Nations declared February 11 International Women and Girls in Science Day to honor their important contributions in various scientific disciplines and technologies. Gender equality in science is also one of their Sustainable Development Goals.
Gender biases and stereotypes continue to keep women away from STEM fields. A 2015 study from the Geena Davis Institute found that only 12 per cent of fictional characters depicting jobs associated with scientific fields are female characters in movies and television shows.
EURAXESS ASEAN celebrates International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2023 by issuing a call to action, promising commitments against bias, increased investments in STEM education for all children, and greater opportunities for women and girls in STEM careers. Read interviews with MSCA fellow Joana Carvalho; Slovakian scientist Katarina Jurikova; and astronomer Teresa Paneque Carreno to gain their perspectives on challenges and rewards associated with working in science careers.
UNESCO’s International Year of Women and Girls in Science
As global citizens, we need to support girls in STEM. This can be accomplished by encouraging young women to follow their passions, providing tools for them to remain on track and honoring those paving the way.
UNESCO’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science offers us an opportunity to recognize these inspiring role models while calling for action to close the gender gap in science. Additionally, this year we are emphasizing how science and technology play an integral role in meeting Sustainable Development Goals.
As part of this effort, we are convening key stakeholders from different communities for in-depth discussions on various Sustainable Development Goals – with particular attention paid to SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities). These discussions provide opportunities to establish partnerships.
UNESCO’s International Year of Gender Equality in Science
Gender equality in science is one of UNESCO’s global priorities, as we believe that in order to address some of today’s most urgent challenges – from improving health care delivery and climate change mitigation, to expanding access to higher education – female participation must be secured within scientific fields.
Yet on average, women still publish less and receive fewer research grants than men, hold fewer senior positions and rarely join national science academies. Women also face persistent gender-based barriers in the digital space due to persistent sexism that limits access to technologies as well as science policy discussions.
Despite these obstacles, some women in science are breaking new grounds and shattering glass ceilings, acting as role models to future female scientists who wish to pursue a scientific career and reduce barriers that stand in their way of advancing progress.
UNESCO’s International Year of Sustainable Cities and Communities
UNESCO is dedicated to understanding how science and culture interact, fostering peace through education and creating an holistic system of cultural governance based on shared values. Their work contributes towards achieving Agenda 2030’s Sustainable Development Goals adopted by UN Heads of State and Government in September 2015.
Global challenges like improving health care or combatting climate change require us to mobilize all talent. That includes encouraging women’s full participation in scientific research while dismantling gender stereotypes.
Cities are home to half of humanity and produce 60-82% of global energy while contributing an equal proportion in carbon emissions. UNESCO works towards making urban areas liveable through sustainable planning and infrastructure that supports economic growth, social inclusion and cultural heritage preservation while protecting cultural assets. They foster public-private partnerships to create green and accessible spaces to enhance quality of life while supporting least developed countries in creating resilient and sustainable futures through their programs.