International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Despite progress in women's education, a persistent gender gap exists across all levels of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) globally.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM fields, posing challenges in addressing key Sustainable Development Agenda issues. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGS) underscores the critical role of women in science and technology, emphasizing the need for their enhanced participation.

According to the United Nations, only one in five professionals in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence is a woman. Despite the demand for skills in Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, women represent only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of graduates in computer science and informatics. Even when entering STEM fields, female researchers often face shorter, less well-paid careers, limited representation in top journals, and barriers to promotion.

Closing the gender gap in STEM is essential for harnessing diverse talent to address pressing global challenges, including healthcare and climate change. Increased participation from women brings diversity, fresh perspectives, talent, and creativity to research and scientific endeavors.

DOI: 10.24948/2021.06
ISBN: 9788894405446

Gender Equality in Science: Inclusion and Participation of Women in Global Science Organizations (CC BY-4.0)

This study, coordinated by GenderInSITE (Gender in Science, Innovation, Technology and Engineering), in partnership with the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the International Science Council (ISC), reports on the inclusion and participation of women in over 120 science organizations.

Browse ISC community and partners events and opportunities for IDWGS

1 February – 15 March: IBRO Parenthood Grants

If you are looking for event support or other funding opportunities to boost your career in 2024, check out the International Brain Research Organization’s (IBRO) Grants Calendar. Among those, don’t miss the Parenthood Grants with a deadline of 15 March 2024, which aim to support early career principal investigators approaching parental leave. Read more on IBRO’s website and start your applications! 

➡️ Apply by 15 March

9 February: UNESCO “Closing the gender gap in science: Accelerating Action” (hybrid participation)

UNESCO will unveil its Call for Action “Closing the gender gap in science” in a hybrid event bringing together Member States, accomplished and emerging scientists, stakeholders from the public and private sectors, UNESCO scientific networks and Chairs, as well as students. The Call for Action will provide recommendations aimed at tackling the root causes of gender-based inequalities in science, and best ways to put it into practice will be discussed with participating stakeholders during the event.

➡️ Register

11 February – 8 March: Celebrating Women in Science with OWSD Month-Long Event Series

In celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February 2024) and the International Women’s Day (8 March 2024), the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is facilitating a month-long series of activities, both organized by the OWSD National Chapters and the OWSD Secretariat. This initiative highlights the importance of promoting gender equality and recognizing the invaluable contributions of women in science globally.

➡️ Browse related events and activities

14 February – 6 March: Science Snack Breaks – Four short films about OWSD scientists

The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is celebrating women in science with a series of four short online film screenings. The ‘Science Snack Break’ series is designed to provide a dose of entertainment and inspiration in a quick format that almost anyone can squeeze into their day. Each of the four films, which were produced under the OWSD Visions project, is between 5-6 minutes long and will be followed by a brief Q&A with the film’s director and protagonist and with filmmaker Nicole Leghissa, who conceived and oversees OWSD Visions.

➡️ Watch the short films

15 February – 15 April: IBRO Diversity Grants

If you are looking for event support or other funding opportunities to boost your career in 2024, check out the International Brain Research Organization’s (IBRO) Grants Calendar Among those, don’t miss the Diversity Grants, opening for applications on 15 February, intended for organizers planning an activity or event in 2024 that promotes regional and gender diversity in neuroscience.

 ➡️ Apply by 15 April

16 February: Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS) Guyana Chapter webinar celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science

➡️ Join Zoom on 16 February at 16:00 UTC, passcode: 292846

27 February: International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry “Global Women’s Breakfast” (several in-person and online events all over the world)

The goal of IUPAC’s “Global Women Breakfast” series is to establish an active network of people of all genders to overcome the barriers to gender equality in science. Over the last five years, more than 1500 GWB events have been held in 100 countries. This year, the GWB’s theme is “Catalyzing Diversity in Science”. Groups from all types of science organizations from high schools, to science societies, universities, companies, governments and non-governmental organizations are invited to host events.

➡️ Organize a breakfast and add it to the map

27 February: Standing Committee for Gender Equality in Science (SCGES) “Popularizing Science Without Gender Bias” (hybrid participation)

SCGES is organizing a breakfast followed by a panel discussion (accessible as a webinar) that will address two specific challenges: How to contribute popularising mathematics in a museum among the youth of all origins and gender? How to write an astronomy book for men and women and why is it important? This 10th SCGES panel and webinar is the participation of the Standing Committee for Gender Equality in Science to IUPAC’s Global Women’s breakfast initiative.

➡️ Register

27 February: Caribbean Women – Catalyzing Diversity in Science

The University of the West Indies, Departments of Chemistry (Mona/St. Augustine) and Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences (Cave Hill) invites you to join this Zoom meeting in the frame of the IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast #GWB2024. View the flyer.

➡️ Register

8 March: Women in Nanotechnology

The research unit for nanotechnologies of the Academy of Sciences of Albania is organizing an online Zoom event “Women in Nanotechnology Forum”. View the program.

➡️ Join the Zoom meeting

19 March: InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine “Removing Barriers that hinder Global Scientific Exchange and Collaboration” (online participation)

Through a series of presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, this webinar aims to provide a platform for identifying these challenges, sharing experiences, and exploring viable solutions to enhance global scientific exchange and networking. A curated agenda will be published closer to the event date.

➡️ Register

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    Note: Please note that the ‘Science Summit at the UN General Assembly’ in September 2023 is not an event of the International Science Council. The International Science Council has no association with this event nor with the organizer of the event.
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