• The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated the critical role of women researchers in different stages of the fight against COVID-19, from advancing the knowledge on the virus, to developing techniques for testing, and finally to creating the vaccine against the virus.

    • At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic also had a significant negative impact on women scientists, particularly affecting those at the early stages of their career, and thus contributing to widening the existing gender gap in science, and revealing the gender disparities in the scientific system.

    • Also Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential.

    • Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.

    • Against this backdrop, this year’s celebration of the Day will address the theme “Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19”

    • With great momentum and interest to accelerate progress in achieving the 2030 Development Agenda and its 17 Global Goals, the 6th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly theme will be Beyond the Borders.

    • With great momentum and interest to accelerate progress in achieving the 2030 Development Agenda and its 17 Global Goals, the 6th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly theme will be Beyond the Borders.

    • At present, less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women. 

    • According to UNESCO data (2014 - 2016), only around 30 per cent of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education.

    • Globally, female students’ enrolment is particularly low in ICT (3 per cent), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5 per cent) and in engineering, manufacturing and construction (8 per cent).

    • Long-standing biases and gender stereotypes are steering girls and women away from science related fields. 

    • As in the real world, the world on screen reflects similar biases—the 2015 Gender Bias Without Borders study by the Geena Davis Institute showed that of the onscreen characters with an identifiable STEM job, only 12 per cent were women.

    • In order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution declaring 11th February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)