International Day of Women and Girls in Science

 

Women have played a pivotal role in shaping the world of science, making groundbreaking discoveries and driving innovation across various fields. With increasing efforts to promote gender equality in education and research, women are now leading scientific advancements, challenging stereotypes, and redefining the landscape of global science. In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly declared 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The day serves as a global reminder of the importance of gender equality in STEM fields, and this year we celebrate its 10th anniversary.

A Timeline of Women in Science in India

Bridging the Gender Gap in India

India has taken significant steps to promote gender parity in STEM. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has recently implemented the WISE-KIRAN (Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN) scheme, a comprehensive program designed to support women at various stages of their scientific careers. Under this scheme, government has launched initiatives like:

• WISE-PhD: The programme aims to provide support to women who want to pursue a Ph.D. in 5 subject areas of basic and applied sciences.

• WISE Post-Doctoral Fellowship (WISE-PDF): The programme aims to provide opportunity to women to continue research after Ph.D. in Basic and Applied Sciences through independent project grant.
• Women's Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovations (WIDUSHI): WIDUSHI programme provides support to women scientists who are at the verge of retirement or retired from Government service and also to the women scientists who are not at permanent position but are active researchers and continuously excelling in research field.
• WISE-SCOPE: The programme encourages women scientists and technologists to address societal challenges through S&T interventions.
• WISE Internship in Intellectual Property Rights (WISE-IPR) – WISE-IPR programme provides one-year training to women in the area of Intellectual Property Rights in order to develop a core professional skill in this domain.
• Women International Grant Support (WINGS): The programme provides opportunities to Indian Women scientists to undertake research in the International research labs and academic institutions.
• Consolidation of University Research for Innovation and Excellence (CURIE): CURIE Programme provides support to women institutions for establishing State-of-the art research infrastructure to enhance research facilities and improving R&D activities in order to create excellence in Science & Technology (S&T) domain.
• Vigyan Jyoti: Vigyan Jyoti programme aims to encourage girls to pursue higher education and career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) especially in the areas where women participation is low in order to balance gender ratio across the streams. Vigyan Jyoti (School Component) is in implementation in 250 districts of 34 States/UTs of the country.
• Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI): GATI aims to develop an indigenous Charter for Gender Equity in STEMM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics & Medicine), with a focus on bringing about transformational changes at Institutional level.

These efforts collectively aim to bridge the gender gap, empower women in STEM, and create an inclusive scientific ecosystem in India.

Shattering the Glass Ceiling

Throughout history, women pioneers in science have defied societal norms, challenged conventions, and made groundbreaking contributions to human knowledge. Let us remember the women who dared to dream beyond the societal norms and created a legacy that continues to inspire others!

 

 

Conclusion: A Future of Equal Opportunities in Science

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, it is evident that women have made tremendous strides in STEM, overcoming barriers and reshaping the scientific landscape. India's dedicated efforts—through policies, programs, and institutional support have played a crucial role in increasing female participation in higher education, research, and innovation.

References

https://www.un.org/en/observances/women-and-girls-in-science-day

https://www.indiascienceandtechnology.gov.in/sites/all/themes/vigyan/images/Women's_Scientist_Brochure_Low_Res.pdf

https://dst.gov.in/scientific-programmes/wise-kiran

https://www.unesco.org/en/days/women-girls-science

Kindly find the pdf file 

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Santosh Kumar/Sarla Meena/ Madiha Iqbal

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