International Day of Women and Girls in Science2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/70/212
About International Day of Women and Girls in Science
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed on 11 February. The United Nations General Assembly established the day through resolution A/RES/70/212 in 2015.
The observance promotes full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls. It is a science-participation and equality observance, not a general substitute for International Women’s Day.
Why International Day of Women and Girls in Science matters
Participation in science depends on more than individual interest. Access to education, mentoring, funding, safe workplaces, recognition and leadership opportunities can all affect who is able to enter and remain in scientific fields.
A strong guide should avoid implying that women and girls form one uniform group or that representation gaps have one universal cause. Experiences differ across countries, disciplines and social contexts.
History of International Day of Women and Girls in Science
The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/212 in December 2015 and proclaimed 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
The observance is used to promote equal access to and participation in science and to highlight the contribution of women and girls to scientific research and innovation.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Malta
The UN General Assembly Second Committee records Malta introducing A/C.2/70/L.4 on 12 November 2015 on behalf of the sponsors; the revised text became the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and led to A/RES/70/212.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/70/212
First documented observance
UN/UNESCO material identifies 11 February 2016 as the first International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Profile scientists from different fields and regions, using reliable biographies that credit their actual work rather than reducing them to inspirational slogans.
Review participation data for a school, institution or field and discuss what the numbers do and do not show.
Invite researchers or students to describe practical barriers and supports in scientific education and careers.
Highlight pathways into laboratory, computational, field, engineering and interdisciplinary work rather than presenting science as one career type.
Avoid tokenizing individual scientists or asking women and girls to represent an entire group.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science Facts
The day is observed on 11 February.
The UN General Assembly established it through resolution A/RES/70/212.
For International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the observance promotes full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls.
Its scope is more specific than International Women’s Day.
The reviewed source does not establish why 11 February itself was selected.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science Messages
Wishing everyone observing International Day of Women and Girls in Science a day of reflection, constructive dialogue and purposeful follow-through.
On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, may awareness lead to informed discussion, practical action and respect for the communities at the heart of the observance.
May International Day of Women and Girls in Science encourage thoughtful participation, shared responsibility and action that continues after the observance ends.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science Quotes
“We must ensure that every girl can imagine a future in STEM, and that every woman can thrive in her scientific career.”
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/70/212 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations General Assembly Second Committee — proposal status for A/C.2/70/L.4, introduced by Malta (opens in a new tab)
United Nations General Assembly — A/70/474/Add.2, Malta introduction and revised draft history (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — International Day of Women and Girls in Science (opens in a new tab)
Dedicated Authoritative Page
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day of Women and Girls in Science?
11 February The documented recurrence rule is: 11 February.
Does International Day of Women and Girls in Science fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is International Day of Women and Girls in Science an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United Nations international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Day of Women and Girls in Science?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Malta.
Is International Day of Women and Girls in Science international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: United Nations international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-05.
Who established the International Day of Women and Girls in Science?
The United Nations General Assembly established the observance through resolution A/RES/70/212 in 2015.
Is it the same as International Women’s Day?
No. International Women’s Day has a broad women’s rights and equality scope, while 11 February focuses specifically on access to, participation in and contributions to science.
Why does this guide not explain why 11 February was chosen?
The reviewed UN source establishes the date and purpose but does not provide a sufficiently clear origin reason for selecting 11 February, so this guide does not invent one.
How this differs from closely related observances
These distinctions use the cited evidence to clarify scope without treating related observances as identical.
Is International Day of Women and Girls in Science the same as International Women's Day?
International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February focuses specifically on equal access to and participation in science. International Women’s Day on 8 March has a much broader women’s rights, equality and social participation scope.
Open International Women's Day →Distinction sources
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