International Day of Women and Girls in Science

In laboratories, observatories and field stations across the globe, women are asking the questions that move human understanding forward. Yet for too long their contributions have been overlooked, and too many girls have been quietly steered away from scientific careers. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed every year on 11 February, exists to change that, celebrating the achievements of women in science and championing the right of every girl to pursue a future in discovery.

1 Origins of the Day

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science was established by the United Nations General Assembly, with the first observance held on 11 February 2016. It emerged from a growing recognition that gender equality in science is not only a matter of fairness but also essential to development. The day is implemented by UNESCO and UN Women, in partnership with institutions and civil society organisations dedicated to promoting women’s access to and participation in science.

2 The Problem It Addresses

Despite remarkable progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in many scientific fields, particularly in the so-called STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and especially in senior and leadership roles. The reasons are complex and deeply rooted: persistent stereotypes about who “belongs” in science, a shortage of visible role models, unequal access to education and resources, and workplace cultures that can be unwelcoming. The result is a loss not only for the women concerned but for science itself, which is poorer for every talented mind it fails to include.

3 Why It Matters

Bringing more women and girls into science matters for several reasons. First, it is a question of equality and human rights: everyone deserves the opportunity to follow their talents and ambitions. Second, diversity strengthens science. Teams that draw on a wider range of perspectives tend to ask better questions and find more creative solutions, and research that reflects the experiences of all of society serves it more fully. Finally, the great challenges of our age, from climate change and disease to clean energy and food security, demand every capable mind we can muster. Excluding half of humanity from that effort is a luxury the world cannot afford.

4 How It Is Marked

The day is observed through events that combine celebration with advocacy. Schools and universities host talks, workshops and laboratory open days designed to inspire young people, especially girls, to imagine themselves as scientists. Conferences and panel discussions bring together researchers, policymakers and educators to examine the barriers women face and how to dismantle them. Mentoring schemes are launched, awards are presented, and social media fills with profiles of women scientists, both historical pioneers and present-day leaders, whose stories make the possibilities vivid.

5 Honouring the Pioneers

The history of science is rich with women whose brilliance shone through despite the obstacles of their time. The day offers a fitting moment to remember figures such as Marie Curie, the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different sciences, alongside many others whose work in fields from astronomy and chemistry to computing and medicine reshaped human knowledge. It is also an occasion to recognise that countless contributions by women went uncredited or were attributed to others, a historical injustice that today’s celebrations help to redress.

6 Symbols and Themes

The emblems of the day are the tools of discovery: the microscope, the test tube, the telescope and the equation, in the hands of women and girls. Each year tends to carry a particular theme, drawing attention to issues such as sustainability, water, health or the role of women in tackling global challenges. The recurring message is one of possibility: that science is for everyone, and that the next great breakthrough may well come from a girl who is encouraged today.

7 Fun Facts

Women have been present at the frontiers of science far more than popular memory suggests. One of the earliest known computer programmers was a woman, working with a mechanical computing engine in the nineteenth century. Women mathematicians and “human computers” performed the painstaking calculations behind early space missions. Across the world, female enrolment in some scientific fields, such as the life sciences, now equals or exceeds that of men, even as gaps persist in others. Each of these facts is a reminder of how much women have already achieved, and how much more is possible.

8 A Closing Reflection

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is at once a celebration and a call to action. It honours those who have already enriched our understanding of the world, while insisting that the door be opened wider for those still to come. A girl gazing through a telescope or peering into a microscope should see not a closed world but an open invitation. When science welcomes everyone, it is humanity as a whole that stands to gain.