February 11, 2017

International Day of Women and Girls in Science – February 11

Posted by Laura Guertin

 

On December 15, 2015, the United Nations General Assembly passed an official resolution that declares February 11th as an annual international recognition of women and girls in science. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, has the following message about this celebration (below is an excerpt – click here to view her full message from 2017):

“Girls continue to face stereotypes and social and cultural restrictions, limiting access to education and funding for research, preventing them from scientific careers and reaching their full potential. Women remain a minority in science research and decision-making. This throws a shadow over all efforts to reach the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change – both of which highlight the key roles of gender equality and science.

“At the same time, girls and women shoulder the heaviest burdens of poverty and inequality – they stand on the frontlines of climate change, including the disasters resulting from natural hazards. Girls and women in rural and disadvantaged areas are hit hardest.

“Meaningful progress must start with the rights and dignity of women, by nurturing their ingenuity and innovation.” — Irina Bokova, UNESCO

 

In her full statement, Irina Bokova encourages everyone to Sign the Manifesto.

 

One does not have to look far to see the numerous individuals and organizations celebrating women in science. For example, I encourage you to view this inspiring video from UNESCO titled “Unlocking the Potential of Girls – STEM”

 

So please take the time to explore the collection of voices sharing stories of individuals and organizations with the following hashtags on Twitter – #WomenInScience #DayofWomeninScience #WomenInSTEM #WomenScienceDay. This day is a perfect continuation of the attention being given to women in STEM on social media through #distractinglysexy #dresslikeawoman and #actuallivingscientist (here’s a previous blog post). I hope many of these messages are not lost after February 11, that the stories and efforts to help girls and women in science continues throughout the year. This tweet is one of my favorites – I hope you find a favorite, too.

 

 

Please visit these official websites for International Day of Women and Girls in Science from the United Nations and UNESCO for more reports and resources.

 


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