Background A significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in these fields. Gender equality has always been a core issue for the United Nations. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will make a crucial contribution not only to economic development of the world, but to progress across all the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well. On 14 March 2011, the Commission on the Status of Women adopted a report at its fifty-fifth session, with agreed conclusions on access and participation of women and girls in education, training and science and technology, and for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work. On 20 December 2013, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on science, technology and innovation for development, in which it recognized that full and equal access to and participation in science, technology and innovation for women and girls of all ages is imperative for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. On 22 December 2015, the General Assembly adopted a resolution to establish an annual International Day to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology communities. In welcoming the efforts of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and other relevant organizations that support and promote the access of women and girls and their participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, training and research activities at all levels decided to proclaim 11 February of each year the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/212 declaring 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Theme for 2026 - Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls The theme of International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGIS) 2026 is “Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls.” As societies grapple with widening inequalities, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), social science, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and finance emerges as a four-pillar approach to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development. AI offers powerful tools for data analytics, health diagnostics, climate modelling and more; however, without targeted interventions, its benefits risk bypassing women and girls. Social science insights guide the design of equitable policies, community engagement and behaviour-change strategies, ensuring that STEM and AI innovations reach marginalized groups. STEM disciplines provide the technical skills required to develop, implement and maintain AI solutions, while fostering gender-balanced research teams. Financial mechanisms—including impact investing, blended finance and gender-smart funds—unlock capital to scale women-led innovations and sustainably fund STEM education and research and development (R&D). Synergizing these four domains can help dismantle persistent barriers by closing gender gaps in digital skills, catalysing women-driven start-ups, advancing gender-responsive AI governance, and mobilising finance that embeds social inclusion as a performance metric. Did you know? Globally, young women are more likely than young men to pursue higher education—46% enroll within five years of completing secondary school, compared with 40% of men—yet women make up only 35% of science graduates. Women continue to be underrepresented in scientific research worldwide. In 2022, just 31.1% of researchers were women, highlighting persistent gender gaps in the field. Fewer than 2% of applicants for jobs in the quantum sector are women—just one in 54. Moreover, 80% of quantum companies reportedly have no senior female leaders. Out of thousands of scientific articles in water-related disciplines, fewer than 100 addressed both gender or women and hydrology. In 2022, nine of the top 21 hydrology journals published no articles referencing gender, while the rest published only one to 14. In cutting edge fields such as artificial intelligence, only one in five professionals (22%) is a woman. Women a minority in Industry 4.0 fields Women make up just one-third of the global scientific community. In some countries, fewer than one in ten researchers are women, with even fewer in STEM leadership roles. This imbalance limits diversity of ideas and research, introduces bias in research, and risks overlooking key perspectives as we tackle global challenges. According to Status and trends of women in science: new insights and sectoral perspectives report of UNESCO, Globally, young women are more likely than young men to enroll in higher education, with 46% of women and 40% of men enrolling in advanced studies within five years of completing their secondary education. But women account for 35% of science graduates. Women form a persistently low share of scientific researchers. Just one in three researchers globally is a woman. Women are moving towards equitable representation in the research workforce In academla and the public sector while men continue to dominate in the private sector, In the majority of countries. Source : UN Women in STEM education in India As per the All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021–22, women constitute 43% of the total enrolment in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines at the higher education level in the country. Further, according to the Research and Development Statistics Report-2023 published by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), women account for 18.6% of the total workforce engaged as STEM professionals in research and development (R&D) activities in the country. Sector-wise, 45.87% of the women employed in R&D are working in government institutions, 27.62% in the higher education sector, and 26.51% in the industrial sector. Of all the states, Tamil Nadu saw the maximum number of enrollment. In these five years, TN alone saw an enrollment of 30,80,669 women students. It is followed by Uttar Pradesh with a total enrollment of 24,65,430 students.