The Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science with the UNESCO regional office of Egypt and Sudan that is affiliated with the Arab League.
The Arab Women’s Science Platform was formally launched on February 10 and 11 in Alexandria. Over 150 distinguished guests from various generations and fields gathered for the ceremony, which was organized by the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo and the Arab Academy in Alexandria. The purpose of the gathering was to explore ways to improve women’s involvement in academic life and decision-making, as well as to talk about the difficulties faced by Arab women.
The goal of the Arab Women Scientists Voice initiative is to create a more promising future for science. According to a UNESCO Science report, women still make up only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of computer science graduates globally.
The Arab Women in Science platform intends to empower women in the natural and social sciences across generations in the Arab world. It was developed in response to a proposal made by Egyptian women scientists during the UNESCO-Academy conversation “Paving the way for women’s leadership in science” in February 2023.
In addition to debunking gender preconceptions in science, it offers offline and online forums for female scientists to interact, exchange stories, and have access to career advancement programs including training and mentoring.
Two panel discussions will be the highlights of the celebration, a workshop to establish the new Arab Women’s Society in Science, the identification of creative avenues to guarantee inclusion and the advancement of systemic changes in science, the advancement of gender equality, and the support of Arab women scientists.
