The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated on 11 February every year with the aim of recognizing the essential role that women and girls play in these fields.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated on 11 February every year with the aim of recognizing the essential role that women and girls play in these fields, as well as promoting gender equality in these fields.. The motto for this 2024 is Women and girls in scientific leadership: a new era of sustainability.
On December 22, 2015, the United Nations General Assembly decided to establish a International Day of Women and Girls in Scienceacross the Resolution A/RES/70/212, which is celebrated on February 11. The aim of this anniversary is to highlight the importance of women and girls in the scientific and technological field, as well as to promote gender equality in these fields.
The United Nations recognizes this Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is essential For economic development and progress towards achieving the objectives of the conference Agenda 2030 for him Sustainable development.
This year, before the celebration of International Day, the days February 8 and 9, 2024 will take place Ninth Assembly On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science At the United Nations headquarters in New York under the slogan Women and girls in scientific leadership: a new era of sustainability The subtopic is Think science…think peace.
This initiative also recognizes the actions of organizations such as UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and other relevant entities to support female scientists and promote women and girls’ access to education, training and research in fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Celebration background
The decision to establish this international day came through previous initiatives, such as the 2011 report carried out by the World Health Organization Commission on the Status of Women With conclusions on the importance of women’s and girls’ access to and participation in education, Sciences And the technology.
These conclusions also included promoting women's equal access to full employment and decent jobs. Subsequently, on 20 December 2013, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development, which recognized that full and equal access and participation of women and girls in science, technology and innovation is essential to achieving gender equality. Empowering women and girls at all ages.
There is a shortage of women pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies and devoting themselves to research
In 2021, UNESCO published a full study on science in the world, in which it devoted a chapter Women in the digital revolution This highlights some disturbing data about the female presence in this field.
Although the so-called STEM professions (its English abbreviation for science, technology, engineering and mathematics) referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics are considered essential for national economies, so far most countries, regardless of their level of development, have not achieved gender equality. Although statistics show similar performance for boys and girls in science and mathematics, gender stereotypes persist, and many girls remain discouraged from studying in STEM fields.
Only 35% of students in STEM-related professions are women. Despite the skills shortage in most technology fields, women still represent only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of computer and computer science graduates.
With regard to the field of research, The global percentage of female researchers he is from 33.3% It is estimated that only 30% of all countries with available data on the national proportion of female researchers would have achieved parity. Women usually receive more modest research grants than their male colleagues, and only about 12% of the members of the National Academies of Sciences are women. In the business world, only one in four researchers is a woman, and when women start their own companies they face serious problems obtaining funding. In 2019, only 2% of venture capital went directly to companies founded by women.
Although it has improved in recent years, so far Only 22 women A. has been awarded Nobel Prize in a scientific fieldWhile in advanced fields such as artificial intelligence Only one in five professionals, 22%She is a woman.
Inspiring the future of science
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science highlights the importance of inspiring women and girls to explore STEM careers and pursue science. Gender equality in the scientific field is not only a matter of justice, but also a necessity for progress and innovation. There are a wide range of resources and tools, from biographies of female scientists to educational programs and mentoring events, to encourage women and girls to participate and excel in STEM fields.
By celebrating women's achievements in science and highlighting their critical role in solving the challenges of today's world, we are building a more inclusive and equitable future. Inspiring women and girls to pursue careers in science and technology Not only will this field be enriched with diverse perspectives and talents, it will also pave the way for a more innovative and sustainable world. By investing in the potential of women and girls in science, we are betting on a brighter and more promising future for all.
