(REF S517) SDG 5: Gender Equality. Women in Science and Women in Science Policy Making will help achieve the SDGs

SDG 5 Gender Equality
The SDG 5 is a universal and urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. The goal, being adopted in 2015 is a follow-up of the partially achieved millennium goals.
Among others, this goal includes the eradication of all forms of discrimination towards girls and women, the end of violence towards girls and women, the elimination of all harmful practices such as genital mutilation and early and forced marriages, the recognition and valuation of unpaid domestic work, equal access to leadership positions, and universal access to sexual and reproductive health. The creativity, know-how, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDG 5 in every context.

Women in Science must cross the chasm in the ScienceDigital Divide so that Scientific Research and Digital Innovations address the problems of most concern to us as humans: How can our children grow up safely? Can future generations be able to depend on our small blue marble planet as we have? How can people thrive and flourish by removing obstacles to economic and social opportunity? Leadership is needed and women everywhere are stepping up. Now we have to join forces to support each other’s efforts. What are the policy instruments and decisions that will allow the world to harness the unstoppable energy and power of women?

This session will focus on the importance of co-designing science and innovation policies taking into account gender and diversity, in all of its aspects. It will highlight why we shall prioritize and support the engagement of women scientists in different associations, forums, their involvement in the whole co-designing policies process, and how that will improve science and technology developments for the benefit of our all society.

The session will stress the urgency of having clear policies focused on the improvement of the large gender gap in science that we are facing worldwide, and a need to bring clear measurements for improving the status of women and girls in science. Several initiatives and examples will be presented, including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum, the South African case study on women’s contribution to science policy, and the African Network of Women in Astronomy (AfNWA-AfAS). Finally, a list of recommendations will be given to help in co-designing science policies in the future to empower women and girls in science and help to achieve sustainable development goals.