Every February 11, the world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, but this day is about far more than recognition. It’s about visibility, opportunity, and reshaping a future where women don’t just participate in science and technology, but lead it.
For women in tech, science isn’t an abstract idea. It’s code shipped at midnight, experiments rerun after failure, systems rebuilt from scratch, and questions asked when no one else will. It’s persistence in spaces that weren’t originally designed with us in mind.
There’s real momentum. More women are entering STEM fields, founding startups, leading research teams, and shaping emerging technologies like AI, climate tech, and biotech. We’re seeing stronger communities, better mentorship, and louder advocacy.
But progress is not the same as parity.
Women, especially women of colour, remain underrepresented in technical leadership, face pay gaps, and are more likely to leave STEM careers due to burnout, bias, or lack of advancement. Girls around the world still encounter stereotypes that subtly (and sometimes loudly) tell them science isn’t for them.
That’s why this day matters. It reminds us that representation is not a “nice to have”—it’s essential for better science, better technology, and better outcomes for society.
When women are part of scientific and technological decision-making:
From healthcare algorithms to climate solutions, who builds the system shapes who benefits from it. Science is not neutral; it carries the values of its creators. Women bring perspectives forged by lived experience, collaboration, and resilience.
Celebrating women in science also means investing in girls who are just beginning to imagine themselves there. That looks like:
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say to a girl interested in STEM is simply: You belong here.
So today, let’s do more than post hashtags.
To every woman and girl in science and tech: your curiosity is powerful. Your voice is necessary. And the future we’re building is better because you’re in it.
