Young girl stem engineering

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development

4 March

Engineering has always had an essential role in development and human welfare. Ensuring that future generations of engineers and scientists will be able to design solutions for local and global challenges is critical.

UNESCO's General Conference proclaimed the 4 March World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development during its 40th session in November 2019 (40 C/64), to raise awareness of the role of engineering in modern life, which is essential to mitigate the impact of climate change and advance sustainable development, especially in Africa and the small island developing states (SIDS).

In spite of the importance of engineering for our life and future, women have been historically underrepresented in engineering fields, typically making up only 10 – 20% of the engineering workforce.  Even in countries where the numbers of women studying STI have increased, this trend has not translated into more women entering the workplace. Too many female students who graduate do not go into the engineering profession. The barriers are often connected to persistent gender stereotypes in this field, inadequate policies or educational environments that do not meet their needs and aspirations.

UNESCO is placing a high priority on activities that promote awareness of engineering as a career, as well as on those that demonstrate the importance of youth studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

A women engineer, wearing a safety helmet and glasses, is operating a machine

What UNESCO does to support engineering

Engineering initiatives

Ensuring that future generations of engineers will be able to design the solutions we need is critical

UNESCO engineering reports

A reference for governments, engineering organizations, academia and educational institutions, and industry

"In order to be effective, engineering must also be open, inclusive and collaborative. This is why UNESCO is committed to reducing inequalities in engineering: in terms of gender, when only 30% of engineers are women; as well as of geography, especially in Africa, where the number of engineers is lower than in any other region of the world."

UNESCO Director-General
Audrey AzoulayDirector-General of UNESCO
Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO
4 March 2024

"UNESCO is committed to reducing inequalities in engineering: in terms of gender, when only 28% of engineering graduates are women; as well as in terms of geography, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where the number of engineers is lower than in any other region of the world."

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Key messages

Engineering has been changing the world for millennia

and the new rapidly emerging technologies are an opportunity for positive transformation that leaves no one behind.

The world is still experiencing,

on average, a shortage of engineers in all domains.

We are still observing a decline of interest

and enrollment in engineering by young people, especially women.

We must address gender segregation in engineering

and deconstruct sterotypes by showcasing important engineering role models and developing programmes to encourage more girls to consider engineering as a career.

The world is still experiencing

a brain drain of all qualified engineers from developing countries to developed countries.

Policy-makers must take into consideration

the need and importance of engineering for sustainable development.

Innovation in engineering is necessary

to better adapt and address today’s global challenges and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Engineering is essential for economic advancement and for the implementation

of new technologies and the application of science including for basic needs of food, health, housing, roads and transport, water, energy and management of the planet’s resources.

Engineer is a vital profession in addressing basic human needs,

in alleviating poverty, in promoting secure and sustainable development, in responding to emergency situations, in reconstructing infrastructure, in bridging the knowledge divide and in promoting intercultural cooperation.

Webinar on Smart Cities for World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development 2023

This webinar on smart cities marked World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development. Speakers shared their knowledge and expertise of areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency and urban planning. The theme of the Day this year was engineering innovation for a more resilient world.

Resources

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