COL celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
By Dr Karen Nyangara
COL Adviser: Gender
It has been ten years since the inaugural International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGS), marked on 11 February every year. In those ten years, women scientists have spearheaded innovations and used their knowledge and skills to provide solutions to global challenges in diverse fields, including education, technology, manufacturing and health. According to UNESCO, IDWGS continues to celebrate “the remarkable contributions of women in science while raising awareness that science and gender equality must advance hand-in-hand to address the world’s major challenges”.
In 2023, Anne L'Huillier became the fifth woman in history to win the Nobel Prize in Physics. More significantly, Dr Katalin Karikó was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for developing the Covid-19 vaccine that halted the pandemic and saved millions of lives. Further, Wikipedia lists hundreds of female scientists in the 21st century who contributed to scientific breakthroughs in a wide variety of fields, from agriculture to oceanography, biology to Egyptology, and child development to astrophysics.
However, women’s achievements in science are often invisible. While many can name pioneers such as Marie Curie and Jane Goodall, few would be able to describe the work of 20th-century scientists such as physicist Chien-Shiung Wu or coral biologist Joan Murrell Owens. More women have joined the ranks of these pioneers, including Mira Murati, who developed AI tools Dall-E and ChatGPT.
At all levels of education, even in countries where females surpass men in enrolment and completion of basic and higher education, females continue to be underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math). The 2024 Global Education Monitoring Report: Gender report –Technology, on her terms, states that women make up only 35 per cent of STEM graduates and hold only a quarter of science, engineering and ICT jobs, adding that this percentage has not changed in the last 10 years. The report highlights the fact that anxiety about taking science subjects, gender role expectations and teacher and learning material biases can negatively impact girls’ aspirations in science.
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) @COL4D works with member countries to promote lifelong learning that supports economic growth, environmental conservation and social inclusion. To ensure more gender-responsive classroom practice, COL works with teacher education institutions in member countries to enable them to deliver and monitor quality learning opportunities through technology-enabled school-based teacher development (SBTD) as well as capacity strengthening for pre-service teacher training. COL also builds the capacity of governments to develop gender-responsive policies/strategies that increase equitable and inclusive access to quality learning opportunities, especially for women, girls and persons with disabilities.
Giving girls a voice in the way they study and use science can lead to change in educational policies, teacher training and learning methodologies to ensure that girls feel that they belong in the STEM classroom and that they, too, can contribute to solving global challenges. Evidence-based approaches to curriculum and pedagogy could help to bridge the gender gap in the sciences, as would building the capacity of teachers to support girls in science. COL’s resources, such as the Practical Guide for WITED Chapters and Individual Champions for Increasing Girls' and Women’s Participation in STEM-TVET and the Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit for Teachers and Teacher Educators, can be used to build this capacity.
This year’s IDWGS theme is “Unpacking STEM Careers: Her Voice in Science”. From the perspective of women scientists, it seeks to highlight how science can address the pressing issues of our times – environmental degradation and climate change, global disease prevention and health promotion, sustainable exploitation of the earth’s land and ocean resources, cybersecurity and conflict resolution. Their stories of women in science are a powerful tool for showcasing the diversity of how science contributes to meeting the SDG goals and enhancing gender equality.
By exposing girls to the accomplishments of women in science, they can learn that a sound grounding in scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical principles allows them to follow their interests- whether that continues to be in the natural sciences or in applied STEM fields.
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science!
Link to blog: www.col.org/news/col-celebrates-the-international-day-of-women-and-girls-in-science/
Image caption: Sathi, a participant from Bangladesh, was trained in mobile phone repair in 2023 and now runs her own business. COL’s Girls INSPIRE programme partnered with the Centre for Mass Education in Science in Bangladesh to offer training, and the partnership continues with COL through its Empowering Women and Girls project @EWG_23.
#COL4D #WomenInScience #GirlsInSTEM #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience #STEMEquality #WomenInSTEM #GenderEquality #WomenEmpowerment #ScienceForAll #LifelongLearning
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The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) #COL4D, through its COL4D's Empowering Women & Girls project (EWG) course support, is positively impacting girls' lives in #Bangladesh. EWG’s work in Bangladesh is implemented by the Centre for Mass Education in Science (CMES). Through COL, CMES facilitates various training programmes for underprivileged girls throughout Bangladesh, including computer skills.
With funding from Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada, COL initiated a three-year EWG project with the aim of improving the realisation of human rights for women and girls from disadvantaged communities in selected areas of five Commonwealth member states, including Bangladesh.
#ComputerSkills#SkillsTraining #SkillsForLife #globalaffairscanadaMeet Shamsunnahar
Shamsunnahar faced barriers to getting an education. Despite pressure to marry early, she pursued her education, tutoring children to cover her costs. In 2024, she joined CMES’s computer training program, gaining skills and confidence. Now, with a part-time job at the Union Parishad, she supports her family while continuing her studies.
Read Shamsunnahar's full story: empoweringwomenandgirls.col.org/ewg-stories/education-made-possible-shamsunnahars-journey/
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Empowering Samoa’s Youth with Skills for Success.
The National University of Samoa (NUS), in partnership with @COL4D and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand @MFATNZ, proudly celebrates the completion of the Youth Training Project in Samoa.
Through this initiative, 169 young individuals (ages 18-35) gained essential skills in Computing (MS Excel & Word), Time Management, Mathematics, Basic Plumbing, Agriculture, and more.
This programme aimed to expand access to vocational training and continuing education, equipping youth with the tools for employment, independence, and lifelong learning. Many participants, especially from rural areas, were thrilled to experience the NUS campus for the first time and found the training engaging and impactful.
Participants shared their excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to learn in the NUS environment. For many from rural areas, it was their first time on campus, making the experience even more meaningful. They said they found the training not only engaging but also enjoyable and easy to grasp, enhancing their learning journey.
#COL4D #MFATNZ #YouthEmpowerment #SkillsForSuccess #SamoaSkills #EducationMatters
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