Message of the Secretary-General on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science – 11 February 2026

On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we reaffirm a fundamental truth: equality in the sciences is essential for humanity’s progress.

Despite advances in access to education, women in STEM are still held back by a lack of research funding, gender stereotypes, and discriminatory workplace practices. Globally, only one in three researchers is female.

This gap is particularly pronounced in the realm of technology, with women representing just 26% of the workforce in data and artificial intelligence, and only 12% in cloud computing. The absence of female voices, especially in leadership positions, embeds biases into digital tools and leads to real world harm.

Excluding women from science weakens our collective capacity to address urgent global challenges, from climate change to public health to space security. To solve these problems, we must ensure that every girl can imagine a future in STEM, and that every woman can thrive in her scientific career.

That’s why the United Nations supports women and girls in STEM, including through scholarships, internships and mentorships across multiple disciplines. 

From advancing renewable energy to preventing the next pandemic, our future hinges on unlocking as much human talent as possible. Today and every day, let us ensure that women and girls can realise their scientific ambitions — for their rights, and for the benefit of all.