New York, 12 February 2022 (TDI): Taking on the greatest challenges currently confronting the global community will require utilizing all the present talent. It is more significant than ever that women and girls have full and equal participation and leadership in science and technology communities as the world grapples with COVID-19 and the global climate crisis.

Women’s contributions to scientific research and innovation must be recognized, stereotypes destroyed and discrimination against women and girls in science defeated.

Only 33 percent of researchers are women globally, and they received less funding for research and enjoy fewer opportunities for promotion. Women are underrepresented in company leadership and technical roles in the tech industry in the private sector as well.

Only 22% of artificial intelligence professionals are women, and 28% of engineering graduates are women. Unless this glaring underrepresentation is addressed, inclusive, sustainable solutions to modern problems and establishing a better society will not be achieved.

On the occasion of the Generation Equality Forum last year, the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation was launched to bring together governments, private sector companies, UN agencies, and civil society to make concrete commitments to women and girls in STEM fields.

In 2026, the Action Coalition aims to double the proportion of women working in technology and innovation and to ensure that women and girls are fully involved in finding solutions to the most daunting challenges of our time.

The UN celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11th to promote women’s maximum and equal participation in science and to recognize those who are leading action and innovation around the globe.

A joint message was shared from Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, and Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, under the subject Promoting the maximum potential of women in science On WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH, 2022

The women leaders in their message stated that the most brilliant scientists are required to address the daunting challenges facing the world today, such as COVID-19 and climate change. However, women make up only one-third of scientists.

This glaring disparity hinders not only the ability to find solutions to common challenges but also in undermining the ability to establish the desired societies. These disparities are structural.

In academia, women remain underrepresented among senior scientists as well. The UNESCO Science Report of 2021 indicates they receive less research funding and are less likely to be promoted than men.

The lack of equitable opportunities in the workplace is one of the reasons why women are fleeing the field of research. Women are underrepresented in company leadership roles and technical positions in the technology industry in the private sector.

Science must work for women. All too frequently, it works against them-for example, when algorithms perpetuate the biases of their programmers. Although there is a labor shortage in this area, studies have shown women comprise only 22% of professionals employed in artificial intelligence and 28% of engineering graduates.

In terms of the venture capital, they received for their own start-ups, women received less than 3% compared to men. To change this, women must be provided with more opportunities in the fields of science and innovation.

That is why UNESCO and the United Nations Women are committed to promoting the inclusion of girls in science education and securing their participation in these professions and industries.

Earlier this year, the Generation Equality Forum launched the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality. Its objective is to double the number of women working in technology and innovation by 2026 and to ensure that women and girls are fully involved in finding solutions to the large, complex, and interdisciplinary problems we face.

For this to be accomplished, it will require both positive measures for increased representation, as well as constant vigilance to eradicate long-standing discrimination and unconscious bias.

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