International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 2023

International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated annually on February 11th to recognize the critical role that women and girls play in science and technology. The day was started by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 to help address the gender inequality that still persists in the field of science and to encourage greater participation of women and girls in scientific pursuits.

Throughout history, women have made significant contributions to science and technology, but their work has often gone unrecognized or undervalued. Despite progress in recent years, women continue to face barriers that limit their participation and advancement in the field. According to a report by UNESCO, only about 30% of the world researchers are women and only around 35% of all female students select STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) related fields in higher education.

Significance of International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by women and to inspire more young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). By promoting women and girls in STEM, we can help to end the gender gap and create a more diverse and inclusive scientific community.

It is also important to recognize the role that science and technology play in advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls around the world. Science and technology have the power to address some of the most pressing issues, such as climate change, pandemics, and social inequalities, and women and girls have unique perspectives and experiences to bring to the table.

5 Inspiring Indian Women & Girls in Science

On this day, we should celebrate the achievements of women and girls in science and encourage more young girls to pursue careers in STEM. We can also support organizations and initiatives that are working to promote gender equality in science and technology and provide resources and opportunities for women and girls in these fields.

Kalpana Chawla - She was the first Indian-born woman astronaut to fly in space. She flew on two space missions, including the ill-fated Columbia mission in 2003.

Dr. Tessy Thomas - Also known as the "Missile Woman of India", she is the first woman scientist to lead a missile project in India. She has worked on several important missile projects such as Agni and Prithvi.

Dr. Sunetra Gupta - She is a renowned epidemiologist and has made significant contributions in the field of mathematical modeling of infectious diseases. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2019 for her contributions to the field of science.

Dr. Rohini Godbole - She is a renowned physicist and has made significant contributions to the field of particle physics and cosmology. She has also served as a professor of physics at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.

Rajeshwari Chatterjee - First female engineer from the state of Karnataka, Rajeshwari received a government scholarship to study abroad in 1946. She studied at the University of Michigan, where she obtained her Masters degree from the Department of Electrical Engineering. After obtaining a doctorate degree, she returned to India and joined the Department of Electrical Communication Engineering at IISc as a faculty member, where she along with her husband set up a microwave research laboratory where they did pioneer work on microwave engineering.

In conclusion, International Day of Women and Girls in Science is a powerful reminder of the important role that women and girls play in science and technology and the need to support their participation and advancement in these fields. We should work together to create a world where women and girls have equal opportunities to succeed in science and technology and where their contributions are valued and recognized.

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