International Day for Women and Girls in Science 2019

When :

from Monday 11 February, 2019
09:30
to Tuesday 12 February, 2019
16:55

Type of event :

Event under UNESCO Patronage

Where :

UNESCO Headquarters, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75007, Paris, France

Contact :

l.cornetta@unesco.org

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated each year on 11 February, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to promote full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls. This Day is a reminder that women and girls play a critical role in science and technology communities and that their participation should be strengthened. The celebration is led by UNESCO and UN-Women, in collaboration with institutions and civil society partners that promote women and girls' access to and participation in science.

Science and gender equality are both vital for sustainable development. Yet women and girls continued to be excluded from participating fully in science: less than 30% of researchers worldwide are women.

Tackling some of the greatest challenges of the Agenda for Sustainable Development -- from improving health to combatting climate change -- will rely on harnessing all talent. That means getting more women working in these fields. Diversity in research expands the pool of talented researchers, bringing in fresh perspectives, talent and creativity.