All over the world, scientific and technological training is too often just not available to women, including informal training. Less women than men have scientific careers and when they do, professional progress is slower. Women rarely hold high-level scientific decisional posts.

From the beginning, UNESCO has worked to  "advance the ideal of equality of educational opportunity without regard to race, sex.."  (UNESCO's Constitution, Article 2 (b), 1945). The Organization’s programme to promote women in science and technology is an ongoing part of the ideal.

Contact Renée Clair  r.clair@unesco.org 

The 10th annual L’OREAL-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science 20-11-2007 3:35 pm UNESCO
Five distinguished women researchers in the life sciences were named on October 5th 2007 as recipients of the 10th annual L’OREAL-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science.

UNESCO National Commissions meet with L'OREAL representatives 26-10-2007 10:45 am UNESCO
Representatives of UNESCO's National Commissions meet with L'OREAL representatives on 22 October 2007 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, to discuss their important role in the UNESCO-L'OREAL partnership "For Women in Science".

Becas UNESCO-L\' OREAL 2008 para mujeres jóvenes que se consagran al estudio de las Ciencias de la vida 31-08-2007 12:50 pm L\'OREAL & UNESCO
L\'OREAL aceptó generosamente prorrogar el programa de financiamiento de quince becas para la promoción de mujeres jóvenes que lleven a cabo actividades de investigación en el ámbito de las ciencias de la vida alrededor del mundo. Las candidaturas deben recibirse en la UNESCO antes del 14 de septiembre de 2007.

Cinco eminentes investigadoras en ciencias de la materia han sido galardonadas con el Premio L’ORÉAL-UNESCO “La Mujer y la Ciencia” 2007 22-02-2007 3:00 pm UNESCOPRENSA
El IX Premio L’OREAL-UNESCO “La Mujer y la Ciencia” fue atribuido hoy a un grupo de científicas eminentes oriundas de los cinco continentes y especialistas en física y química. Las galardonadas son las Profesoras: Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM (Mauricio), Ligia GARGALLO (Chile), Mildred DRESSELHAUS (Estados Unidos), Margaret BRIMBLE (Nueva Zelandia) y Tatiana BIRSHTEIN (Rusia).

Atribución a quince jóvenes investigadoras de las becas UNESCO-L’ORÉAL 2007 “La Mujer y la Ciencia” 21-02-2007 10:00 am UNESCOPRESS
Quince jóvenes investigadoras en ciencias de la vida, oriundas de los cinco continentes, recibieron hoy en la sede de la UNESCO las Becas UNESCO-L’ORÉAL 2007 “La Mujer y la Ciencia”. Estas becas, que se vienen atribuyendo desde el año 2000, permiten a jóvenes doctoras proseguir sus trabajos de investigación en laboratorios situados fuera de sus países de origen.

Ceremony for L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science 2007 13-02-2007 2:00 pm UNESCOPRESS
Five outstanding women scientists, one from each continent, will be rewarded on 22 February for the exceptional quality of their research. Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, and Lindsay Owen-Jones, Chairman and CEO of L’ORÉAL, will present the 2007 L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science in a ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters (Room I, 7-9.30 p.m.).

2007 « For Women in Science» week 29-01-2007 10:00 am UNESCO
The 2007 ‘For Women in Science’ week is organized by L’OREAL and UNESCO and will take place 19 to 22 February 07, UNESCO HQ, Paris, France.

International meeting: “Re-Engineering Development: Engendering ICTs” 15-11-2006 1:00 pm UNESCO
The "Re-Engineering Development: Engendering ICTs” meeting, UNESCO, Paris 13-14 November, 2006, launched efforts by global leaders and practitioners to increase women's participation in ICTs: from engineering and software to leadership.

UNESCO Chair Morocco 2006-2007 activities 31-10-2006 10:00 am UNESCO
The UNESCO Chair "Water, Women and Decision-making", created in April 2006 at the Al Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Morocco, has already organized several activities for the benefit of local communities during 2006, including an information day 'Water, Education and Health" at Dayet Ifrah, and proposes others for 2007.

Call for Candidates: UNESCO/L’ORÉAL Co-Sponsored Fellowships (2007) for Young Women in Life Sciences 04-09-2006 7:00 am UNESCO
Deadline for submission of Application Forms: 15 September 2006.

Creation of UNESCO Chairs' Network : « Women, Science, Technology and Development 21-07-2006 8:00 am UNESCO
Within the framework of the 8th International Water Symposium, 27-30 June 2006, Cannes, France, UNESCO invited the representatives of eight UNESCO Chairs dedicated to the promotion of women in science and technology; areas where they are still a minority and seldom involved in decision-making.

Networking scientific knowledge for women in South Asia 22-06-2006 3:00 pm UNESCO
The 3rd meeting of the Sub-Regional Network of Non-Formal Scientific Education and Popularization of Science took place in Islamabad (Pakistan) 10-12 April 2006. As well as network representatives, fifteen Pakistani NGO’s participated.

Girls and science: a training module on motivating girls to embark on science and technology careers 07-06-2006 12:55 pm UNESCO
The overall aim of this new module is to help reduce gender disparities in the field of science and technology in Africa as well as to provide women with the possibility of embarking upon science careers in the quest of self-dependence and poverty reduction.

Empowering Women through Science in South Asia 09-03-2006 11:00 am UNESCO
Within the framework of “Breaking the Poverty Cycle of Women in South Asia”, the 3rd Workshop of the Specialists Network to popularize science will take place from 10 to 12 April 2006, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Las premiadas y las becarias UNESCO-L’OREAL 2006 02-03-2006 11:00 am UNESCO
At the 8th L'OREAL-UNESCO prize-winning ceremony, which took place 2nd March 2006, UNESCO, Paris, the five laurates were: Habiba Bouhamed Chaabouni, Tunisia; Jennifer Graves, Australia; Christine van Broeckhoven, Belgium; Esther Orozco, Mexico and Pamela Bjorkman, USA. Fifteen two-year fellowships were also awarded.

UNESCO Chairs: Women, science, technology and water 27-02-2006 9:00 am UNESCO
The meeting of the representatives of the seven UNESCO Chairs “women, science, technology and water” will take place within the framework of 8th Internationals Water Symposium, 26-30 June 2006, Cannes, France,

Semana para las mujeres y la ciencia – UNESCO-L’OREAL 23-02-2006 1:55 pm UNESCO
Del 27 de febrero al 4 de marzo de 2006, se llevó a cabo en la Sede de la UNESCO « La semana para las mujeres y la ciencia », auspiciada por la Organización y la empresa L’OREAL.

Outstanding scientist Jane Goodall awarded UNESCO medal 18-01-2006 12:00 pm UNESCO
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura awarded UNESCO’s 60th Anniversary Medal to Jane Goodall, the British-born primatologist, on Tuesday 17 January, at UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris in recognition of Ms Goodall’s lifelong dedication to the preservation of Africa’s endangered apes.

Overview of UNESCO’s activities for the advancement of scientific knowledge 04-11-2005 2:00 pm UNESCO
On 2nd November 05 at UNESCO HQ, Paris, science colleagues had the opportunity to present, during 60 minutes, their activities promoting the advancement of scientific knowledge. The event’s report gives a broad overview of the Organization’s actions within the field of basic science, the necessity to promote scientific research world wide and women’s access to same.

Breaking the Poverty Cycle of Women: Empowering Adolescent Girls to Become Agents of Social Transformation in South Asia UNESCO
More than a bilion people, the majority of whom are women, live in extreme poverty. Gender discrimination deprives women of the mainstream development initiatives.

Managing drinking water in the Côte d'Ivoire
An Improved Village Hydraulic (IVH) system run by leading rural women will ensures permanent drinking water availability in rural areas.

Network: Women, Science, Technology and Development
Country by country information on the Network: Women, Science, Technology and Development created in 2006 and which, at present, brings together seven UNESCO Chairs.

Presentation of UNESCO Chairs Network "Women, Science, Technology and Development"
The Chairs participating in this Network pool expertise in science, technology, development, water management and a gender equality objective. They establish among themselves a relationship of cooperation and solidarity.

Investigadoras en ciencia escasean en los escalones más altos del escalafón
Aunque todavía están lejos de alcanzar la paridad con sus colegas de sexo masculino, lo cierto es que cada vez más mujeres se dedican a la investigación. Pero a menudo, escasean en los escalones más altos del escalafón y deben elegir más que ellos entre carrera y vida personal.

Tapping at the glass ceiling: a history of Women, Natural Sciences and UNESCO
“UNESCO’s Charter indicated clearly that the new organization proposed to contribute to the maintenance of peace by strengthening collaboration among nations through education, science and culture. A few lines further on, it is specified that this will be done ‘without distinction of race, sex, language or religion’.

2006 L'OREAL-UNESCO Award and Fellowship Winners 01-03-2006 9:00 am L'OREAL-UNESCO
The 8th L'OREAL-UNESCO prize-winning ceremony took place 2nd March 2006, UNESCO, Paris. Awards of 100 000 US dollars were given to five outstanding life-science women laureates, one from each region of the world. Fifteen two-year fellowships were also awarded.