The 11 February 2025 marks an important day in the global effort to promote gender equality and women's empowerment: we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGS). Established by the United Nations, the day is a strong reminder that gender equality in science is crucial for building a better future for all. However, based on the UN, "women and girls continue to face systemic barriers and biases in pursuing scientific careers. Closing the gender gap in science requires breaking stereotypes, promoting role models to inspire girls, supporting women's advancement through targeted programs, and fostering inclusive environments through policies and actions that promote inclusion, diversity and equity."
Within the European Union, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science is a great opportunity to celebrate their achievements and highlights the need to encourage and support more young girls and women to get involved in research. So let's learn more about how the EU is driving change for gender equality in Research & Innovation.
Here are some key statistics:
Every scientific discovery, breakthrough, and innovation we celebrate has been shaped by brilliant minds. However, the minds with more opportunities to shine have predominantly been male. While women constitute 48% of doctoral graduates in the EU, they represent only one third of the total number of researchers in Europe. According to the UN, female researchers also tend to have shorter, less well-paid careers.
Though progress has been made, women remain underrepresented in many fields, in senior academic and decision-making positions. These disparities are driven by challenges such as unconscious bias, a lack of mentorship, and limited access to resources - barriers that continue to hinder the full participation of women in research and innovation.
Gender equality is one of the core values of the EU. Read more about the EU's key actions in research and innovation in the Guidebook, Infosheet and FAQ that are available for download on this page.
Do also check out these inspiring projects funded under Horizon Europe that promote Gender Equality in research and various sectors:STREAM IT, Road-STEAMer, The SEER, SENSE and STEAMBrace.
Content extracted from this EU website.