Commemorating the topic of female inclusion in science is of great significance to me, hence in the following blog post, I would like to delve into the “International Day of Women and Girls in Science”, its background, and the underlying status quo. In the status quo, the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported that in 2019, less than 30 percent of scientific researchers were female.
The adverse effects of this globally embedded phenomena impact women and girls’ opportunities. For instance, in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, maths, and computer science UNICEF highlighted that a mere 5 percent are female-dominated.
Established on the 22nd of December in 2015 by the General Assembly was A/RES/70/212, an act of advocacy for International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Beyond recognizing the purpose of this day in orchestrating a movement, advocating for more female opportunities in science, and encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM, we need not forget the female scientists that changed science and the world forever.
Namely, Rosalind Franklin, a chemist who was instrumental in the discovery of DNA. To, Marie Curie, a hallmark of excellence-the only woman to have been awarded a Nobel Prize in two scientific disciplines (chemistry and physics).
Notwithstanding, Rita Levi-Montalcini who was deemed ‘Queen of Italy in a lab coat’ by her students, was
responsible for the unraveling of the first growth factor (NGF) nerve, catalysing growth and development in the field of neuroscience.
Advocacy for women's and girls’ rights is at the heart of UNICEF’s humanitarian work. Hence, dismantling social norms that encourage violence against women and girls, will bridge gender inequality gaps and yield more economic and social prosperity to
communities.
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