Bridging the Gap: Tackling Global Challenges through Science and Inclusivity in Launching the UNESCO Call to Action

The UNESCO Call to Action: Closing the Gender Gap in Science, launched on the 2024 International Day of Women and Girls in Science, has brought attention to the urgent need for multistakeholder collaborative actions at various levels. This Dialogue aims to explore two key questions related to the importance of science in our daily lives and its role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, diseases, and extreme poverty.

Science is a silent force that influences every aspect of our daily lives, from the artificial intelligence in our phones to the agricultural innovations that shape our breakfast choices. It plays a crucial role in addressing global challenges and goes beyond our routines. The first part of this Dialogue will focus on groundbreaking research of the 2024 Laureates in biological sciences, clinical health, environmental fields and how their work contributes to tackling critical issues we are facing.

The second part of this Dialogue will involve the 2024 Laureates providing their insights and discussing how to advance this Call to Action by emphasizing gender disparities in science not only hinder the advancement of women but also impede scientific progress and societal development as a whole. The engagement of Member States, accomplished scientists from both emerging and established fields, stakeholders from public and private sectors, UNESCO scientific networks Chairs and students will bring diverse perspectives to this important conversation.