International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Next: February 11, 2027
For every girl who asks why.
The story
Where it comes from
The UN General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2015, and it has been kept every 11 February since. It grew out of years of UN work on a stubborn gap: women and girls were making great progress in higher education, yet remained under-represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics at every level. The day celebrates the contributions women have already made to science and argues that science and gender equality must advance hand in hand.
How it's celebrated
UNESCO holds a one-day event at its Paris headquarters, where scientists share what has worked in their fields to close the gap. Universities, labs and schools invite women researchers to speak to pupils, run hands-on workshops and share stories of pioneering scientists online. It is a good day to send a card to a daughter, niece or student who loves taking things apart to see how they work.
Did you know
- According to UNESCO, women make up less than a third of the world's researchers.
- Women make up about 35% of science graduates, even though young women are more likely than young men to go on to higher education.
- In 2015 the Chinese scientist Tu Youyou shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for artemisinin, a malaria drug she found by studying traditional herbal medicines.
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