International Day of Women and Girls in Science

 "Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls" 11th International Day of Women & Girls in Science Assembly. The Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT), co-organizing and co-sponsoring Member States, UN Agencies and Intergovernmental Organizations are celebrating the 11th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly, taking place on 11 February 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Related Sites and Documents:  Concept Note . Follow the hashtags: #February11 | #EquityInScience | #ScienceSociety | #FinanceforDevelopment | #GirlsInScience | #WomenInScience Watch the (Part 2) 11th International Day of Women & Girls in Science Assembly! High-level Events

Women and girls remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), often due to persistent stereotypes and limited access to opportunities. Through education, mentorship and visible role models, UNESCO supports girls in building confidence and pursuing scientific careers. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are fundamental to sustainable development, yet women and girls continue to face barriers that limit their participation in these fields – from gender stereotypes to limited access to quality education . Today, women represent only 35% of STEM graduates.   Through initiatives that promote gender equality in education , UNESCO supports girls’ access to quality STEM learning, strengthens teacher training, and advances mentorship and role-model programmes that make women in science visible . By advocating for inclusive education policies , supporting community-based interventions , and celebrating women scientists, UNESCO ...

L'Oréal Groupe Mexico, in collaboration with UNESCO and the Mexican Academy of Sciences (AMC) , launches the 2026 call for applications for the “For Women in Science” program , on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11). This initiative promotes and recognizes the work of women scientists in Mexico and supports their contributions to knowledge development. Araceli Becerril, Corporate Responsibility Director at L'Oréal Mexico, underscores the importance of this initiative and the role of women in science: “At L’Oréal, we do not just dream about the future—we design it by removing barriers and paving the way. We want tomorrow’s women scientists to find a horizon free of prejudice, and we lead by example: 69% of our researchers are women, and they sign 55% of our patents. Science is our DNA and equality our driving force. Because the world needs science, and we are clearing the path so that science always counts on women.” UNESCO Representative in Mexico...

  Equality in the sciences is essential for humanity’s progress. Despite advances in access to education, women in STEM are still held back by a lack of research funding, gender stereotypes, and discriminatory workplace practices. Globally, only one in three researchers is female. This gap is particularly pronounced in the realm of technology, with women representing just 26% of the workforce in data and artificial intelligence. The absence of female voices embeds biases into digital tools and leads to real world harm. Excluding women from science weakens our collective capacity to address urgent global challenges, from climate change to public health to space security. That’s why the UNITED NATIONS  supports women and girls in STEM across multiple disciplines. Let us ensure that women and girls can realise their scientific ambitions — for their rights, and for the benefit of all. United Nations Decretary-General; Mr. Antonio Guterres .

Across the world, a significant gender gap persists at all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines due to lack of research funding, gender stereotypes, and discriminatory workplace practices. The United Nations ecretary-General; Mr. António Guterres said the gap is particularly pronounced in technology, where women represent just 26 per cent of the workforce in data and artificial intelligence, and 12 per cent in cloud computing. “ Excluding women from science weakens our collective capacity to address urgent global challenges, from climate change to public health to space security, ” he warned. UNICEF is working on expanding STEM education for girls in rural areas. As societies continue to grapple with widening inequalities, the UN believes that the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), social science, STEM and finance provides a way to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development. The approach is being highlighted on the Internation...

The theme of International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGIS) 2026 is “ Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls. ” As societies grapple with widening inequalities, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), social science, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and finance emerges as a four-pillar approach to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers powerful tools for data analytics, health diagnostics, climate modelling and more; however, without targeted interventions, its benefits risk bypassing women and girls. Social science insights guide the design of equitable policies, community engagement and behaviour-change strategies, ensuring that STEM and AI innovations reach marginalized groups . STEM disciplines provide the technical skills required to develop, implement and maintain AI solutions, while fostering gender-balanced research teams. Financ...