Day of Women in Science is celebrated on Friday

The Day of Women and Girls in Science was established at the initiative of the UN in 2015, aiming to underline the significant role of women and girls in the development of science. Today’s world is facing major unsolved problems, from healthcare issues to the climate crisis, and when tackling these issues we rely on scientific achievements and the work of researchers.

According to Ester Oras, Associate Professor of Archaeology and of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Tartu, Vice President of the Estonian Youth Academy of Sciences, when the day was celebrated for the first time in Estonia last year, the aim was to focus on female scientists more generally. Now, however, it is time to take steps to raise awareness of the work and concerns of women scientists. “We would like to draw attention to the topics that female scientists are facing every day: for example, the pay gap or the gender-stereotyped role expectations,” said Oras.

The Day of Women in Science is held in Estonia for the second time. Internationally, the Day of Women and Girls in Science is led by UNESCO and UN Women, the UN entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women. The UNESCO events this year are focused on the importance of women in the response to the corona crisis.

From 3 February to 17 March, young female scientists of the Baltic countries are invited to apply for the reputable L'Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science programme. Seven 6000-euro fellowships will be awarded to outstanding female researchers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In addition, one person from each Baltic country will be nominated for the L’Oréal–UNESCO International Rising Talent grant competition.

When writing about the Day of Women in Science on social media, use hashtags #naisedteaduses and #WomenInScience.