UNESCO initiated a series of Action Groups for Women in Science in support of its “Closing the Gender Gap in Science” Call to Action, launched earlier this year. This initiative invited experts and advocates worldwide to collaborate, share ideas, and develop strategies for advancing gender equality in scientific fields.
As an NGO partner of UNESCO with consultative status, the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) participated in the Action Group Meetings held virtually on September 9, 12, and 18, 2024. This participation underscored INWES’s dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion in science. Prior to the working group sessions, INWES President, Dr. Sarah Peers, expressed INWES’s strong commitment to support UNESCO’s Call to Action across all three areas proposed. These three areas, known as the Pillars, are: enhancing the visibility of female role models to dismantle gender stereotypes and biases in science; implementing policies that promote inclusion, diversity, and equity to create supportive environments for women scientists; and inspiring innovative educational pathways to open new opportunities for girls in science.
Representing INWES in the online working groups were Sarah Peers, President of INWES; Monique Moutaud, INWES representative to UNESCO; Jung Sun Kim, INWES Past President; Mary Mwangi, INWES Deputy President; and Sylvia Ortega, Chair of the INWES Latin America Regional Network, who participated in the discussions. There were also opportunities to introduce INWES and meet new potential partners.
INWES looks forward to continuing its involvement with UNESCO’s Action Groups in building a global foundation for inclusive policies, empowering role models, and creating innovative educational pathways to foster a more equitable future in science and engineering.
