Arab Women in Science Platform


Cross-Cutting Themes

Women in science across the Arab Region continue to face underrepresentation and structural challenges. In response, the UNESCO Regional Office for Egypt and Sudan/Liaison Office for the League of Arab States, in partnership with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), launched the Arab Women in Science Platform in February 2024, building on discussions from the Paving the Way for Women’s Leadership in Science event in February 2023. The platform provides a space for women scientists to connect, access mentorship, coaching, and training, and address gender biases in science.

With a growing community of 240 women and a network of 21 researchers who co-designed the platform and will serve as mentors, the initiative advocates for gender-responsive policies and promotes open science, ensuring that Arab women scientists play a central role in shaping the future of science in the region. The platform is currently in its final development phase, preparing to launch a prototype for testing by the community of women who contributed to its conceptualization.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Nuria Sanz, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Egypt and Sudan/Liaison Office for the League of Arab States; or Clara Epperlein, Consultant at the UNESCO Regional Office for Egypt and Sudan/ Liaison Office for the League of Arab States