International Day of Women and Girls in STEM

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, is celebrated every year on 11 February. The day is a reminder that women and girls play an important role in the scientific and technological community and that their participation needs to be increased.

According to UNESCO, today, less than 30% of the world's researchers are women. It is therefore important to promote universal and equal access and participation of women and girls in science.

Volt supports:

• the S.T.E.A.M. (Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts & Mathematics) programmes which we must promote, not only through school education, but also through various civil society initiatives.

• Promoting accessibility in the teaching of digital technology skills for all ages. Online education should start at an early age and progress towards lifelong learning and vocational training, with a focus on mental health and social well-being, given the impact of the digital environment.

Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls make a decisive contribution not only to the economic development of the world, but also to progress towards all the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.