UN Intl Day of Women and Girls in Science to Address Women Scientists Leading the COVID-19 Fight – HPCwire

Feb. 10, 2021 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 earlystages of their career, and thus contributing to widening the existing gender gap in science, and revealing the gender disparities in the scientific system, which need to be addressed by new policies, initiatives and mechanisms to support women and girls in science.

Against this backdrop, this years celebration of the Day will address the theme Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19and will gather together experts working in fields related to the pandemic from different parts of the world.

The 2021 main event will take place online. A simultaneous interpretation of the debates will be provided in English and French.

On 11 February 2021,the 6th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assemblywill be held at the United Nations Headquarters virtually. 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: Equality in Science for Society, with a special focus on the value of the social aspects and cultural dimensions in Science, Technology and Innovation to enhance sustainable development programmes.

Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the past 15 years, the global community has made a lot of effort in inspiring and engaging women and girls in science. Yet women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science.

At present,less than 30 per centof researchers worldwide are women. According toUNESCO 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 biasesthe 2015Gender Bias Without Bordersstudy 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 adoptedresolution A/RES/70/212declaring 11 February as theInternational Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Source: UN

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UN Intl Day of Women and Girls in Science to Address Women Scientists Leading the COVID-19 Fight - HPCwire