As the world marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11, 2026, a renewed call has been made to bridge the persistent gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to drive innovation and sustainable development.
This year’s theme, “From Vision to Impact: Redefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap,” highlights the urgent need to transform commitments into measurable outcomes by expanding opportunities for women and girls in science and related fields.
Dr Stella Agyemang Duah, a Research Scientist at the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, emphasised that although women continue to make remarkable contributions to scientific advancement, they remain underrepresented among the world’s researchers.
“Women and girls are still a minority across many STEM disciplines globally. Bridging the gender gap is not only about fairness — it is about relevance, impact and the quality of work demonstrated by women in science,” she stated.
According to her, building an inclusive STEM ecosystem requires deliberate investment in advocacy, education and action — particularly in transformative areas such as artificial intelligence, health research, scientific entrepreneurship and cybersecurity.
She noted that science and technology present unique opportunities to improve lives, from advancing healthcare delivery to promoting environmental sustainability. However, one of the major barriers to fully harnessing these benefits is the continued underrepresentation of women.
Dr Agyemang Duah called for collective efforts to dismantle long-standing gender stereotypes and male-dominated workplace cultures that discourage girls from pursuing scientific careers.
“Every woman or girl deserves equal access to scientific participation. Highlighting women’s achievements in evidence-based research in AI, health, cybersecurity and scientific entrepreneurship makes their presence in STEM normal, expected and celebrated,” she said.
She further stressed that investing in and nurturing women and girls in STEM is critical to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science serves as a global platform to recognise achievements, advocate policy change and inspire the next generation of female scientists to move from vision to impact in reshaping the future of STEM.
