Online: International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Feb 11
The UNESCO Almaty Office annually celebrates this Day together with national partners, UNESCO Associated Schools, local communities and other UN agencies to raise awareness on the gender equality in science, its official website reads.
In 2021, the UNESCO Almaty together with UNICEF in Kyrgyzstan will organize an online event for school students on the occasion of the International Day, which will be held online on 11 February from 14:00 to 15:30 on the official UNESCO Almaty Facebook page.
Did you know?
According to UNESCO, only 30% of the world's researchers are women. Despite the fact that the number of women entering universities is increasing, only few of them reach the level required for pursuing research activities. The gender gap in science has narrowed, but the gap between awareness of one's own scientific potential and aspirations in this area remains wide. Many girls and women lose interest in science, do not strive to study advanced courses, specialties and professions. This, in essence, is also a kind of «brain drain» of girls and women who could become the next generation of scientists.
In the past 15 years, the global community has made many efforts to encourage and attract women and girls to participate in science. Despite this, women and girls continue to be excluded from full participation in science. According to a research conducted by the UN Women in 14 countries, female students earned Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees and Doctoral degrees in science-related fields represented as 18%, 8% and 2% respectively, compared with male students of 37%, 18% and 6%.
In addition, UNESCO also estimates that women researchers account for 28.4% worldwide, they are actively pursuing Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and even outnumber men at these levels, but their numbers drop off abruptly at PhD level. Despite ongoing efforts to encourage and involve women and girls to participate in science, there are still many leaks in the pipeline: from stereotypes encountered by girls to the family-caring responsibilities and bias women may face when choosing a career.
The full and equal participation of women and girls in science play a crucial role in promoting the diversity of scientific research, expanding the pool of talented researchers and bringing new perspectives.