International Day of Women and Girls in Science
11 02 2026
Today, 11 February, is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The day was established in 2015 by the UN General Assembly to draw attention to the crucial role of women and girls in the development of science and the need to ensure their full, equal and safe access to education and scientific careers [1].
While the presence of women in science has been a fact of life for centuries, their path to the world of research has been marked by structural, cultural and institutional barriers. Limited access to education, exclusion from academic institutions, lack of recognition of scientific achievements or difficulties in promotion meant that women’s participation in science remained invisible or underestimated for a long time. In Poland, female scientific pioneers such as Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Alicja Dorabialska – the first female professor at the Lviv Polytechnic and a pioneer of physical chemistry – or Hanna Hirszfeld, an eminent physician and researcher in paediatrics, were groundbreaking [2].
Just as important as the historical pioneers are the contemporary female scientists who are really shaping science today – including at the University of Warsaw. Women researchers at the UW head national and international grants, create and lead research teams, publish in prestigious journals, collaborate with foreign institutions and in public debate as experts.
Women’s participation in science is higher than at any time in history, but it is still far from gender-balanced. Globally, women account for about 33% of scientific researchers, with a marked decline in their share at later career stages – especially at professor level and in decision-making structures [3]. Women occupy less than 25% of the top academic positions, and in areas such as engineering, information technology or artificial intelligence, their share often does not exceed 20% [4].
According to Eurostat, women account for about 41% of scientists and engineers in the EU, and more than 50% of female university graduates [5]. At the same time, only a small percentage of women hold leadership positions in research projects and grant teams. Poland performs well in terms of the proportion of women among doctoral students and authors of scientific publications, but their representation decreases with successive levels of academic career [6].
The University of Warsaw conducts statistical analyses of the gender structure in science, employment and decision-making functions by a special unit, the Equality Observatory. The results form the basis for determining the direction of equality measures at UW.
Gender equality in science is part of the University’s broader institutional strategy. Both the Gender Equality Plan 2020-2024 and the Inclusive Gender Equality Plan for the UW for 2025-2029 envisage specific measures to address discrimination, violence and structural inequalities and to support the development of women’s scientific careers.
Significant UW initiatives in support of women in science include the Network of PhD Students at the University of Warsaw, which creates a space for meeting, exchanging experiences and building scientific networks, and the Young Researchers and Teaching Women programme, which offers mentoring and advice on career planning and research capacity building. There are also a number of events to popularise women’s participation in science and activities aimed at underrepresented groups, particularly women in STEM.
Detailed information can be found on the “Support for women in science” website.
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[1] UNESCO, 11 February – International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
[2] Gov.pl, Women in the history of Polish science
[3] UNESCO, Women in Science
[4] UNESCO, Cracking the Code: Girls’ and Women’s Education in STEM
[5] Eurostat, Women in science and engineering
[6] European Commission, She Figures