UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the gap is particularly pronounced in technology, where Women make up just 26 percent of the workforce in data and artificial intelligence, and 12 percent in cloud computing..
“Excluding women from science weakens our collective ability to address pressing global challenges, from climate change to public health and space security,” she warned.
Greater inclusion
As societies continue to grapple with increasing inequalities, the UN believes that the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), social sciences, STEM and finance provides a way to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development.
This approach is highlighted on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, which falls on Wednesday.
The synergy of these four domains can help dismantle persistent barriers by closing gender gaps in digital skills, catalyzing the creation of women-driven businesses, promoting gender-responsive AI governance, and mobilizing financing that incorporates social inclusion as a performance metric.
“From promoting renewable energy to preventing the next pandemic, Our future depends on unlocking as much human talent as possible.”said the Secretary General.
“Today and every day, let’s ensure that women and girls can realize their scientific ambitions, for their rights and for the benefit of all.”
Scientist, entrepreneur, ambassador
Chemist and businesswoman Asel Sartbaeva from Kyrgyzstan is a role model in this regard.
She is an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom and co-founder and CEO of the biotechnology company EnsiliTech.
Their work addresses one of the most persistent challenges in global health: how to make vaccines stable at high temperatures so they can be transported to the most remote communities without complex refrigeration.
Supporting girls in STEM
In addition to her research, Ms. Sartbaeva works with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as an ambassador for the Girls in Science program in Kyrgyzstan, encouraging girls to pursue higher education and careers in STEM.
she said UN News that in many communities decisions about a girl’s future are determined by her family, particularly her father.
“Most of the time, the biggest concern I heard, especially from parents, was that they thought that if their daughters went into science, they wouldn’t have a family.“, said.
“For me, the first thing was to show that that’s not true. You can have both and it’s not mutually exclusive.”
‘We need you’
UNICEF’s program combines science masterclasses with mentoring, communication training and confidence building. Thousands of girls have participated and many have earned college degrees in STEM.
Sartbaeva believes that opportunities for women in science are improving. Female professors were rare when she was in college, but today she sees much more balance and stronger policies that support inclusion.
Still, more talent is still needed, and she had a clear and simple message for girls considering STEM: “We need you.”