The Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT) celebrates the 11th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly, taking place on 11 February 2026 in at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Following the adoption of Resolution A/RES/70/212 on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, RASIT continues to work with UN Member States, Inter-Governmental Organizations and the UN and its entities to achieve equality in science, technology, and innovation for socio-economic sustainable development in line with the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs.
The 11th Assembly is aligned with the 2026 ECOSOC and HLPF theme “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for all”. To support achieving the three pillars of sustainable development, namely economic prosperity, social justice, and environmental integrity, the 11th Assembly will bring together women in science and experts from around the world, high-level government officials, representatives of international organizations and the private sector to discuss the Goals to undergo in-depth review during the HLPF: Goals 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) , and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
The theme of the 11th IDWGIS is theme “Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls”. As societies grapple with widening inequalities, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), social science, STEM and finance emerges as a 4-pillar approach to accelerate inclusive sustainable development:
• AI offers powerful tools for data analytics, health diagnostics, climate modelling and more, but its benefits risk bypassing women and girls without targeted interventions.
• Social science insights guide the design of equitable policies, community engagement and behavioral change strategies that ensure STEM and AI innovations reach marginalized groups.
• STEM disciplines furnish the technical skills required to develop, implement and maintain AI solutions, while fostering gender-balanced research teams.
• Finance mechanisms, impact investing, blended finance and gender-smart funds, unlock capital to scale women-led innovations and sustainably fund STEM education and R&D.
Synergizing these four domains can dismantle persistent barriers: closing gender gaps in digital skills, catalyzing women-driven startups, informing gender-responsive AI governance, and mobilizing finance that embeds social inclusion as a performance metric.
The objectives of the 11th IDWGIS Assembly are:
1. Convene experts to showcase best practices at the intersection of AI, social science, STEM and finance for women’s empowerment.
2. Identify policy and regulatory levers to foster gender-equitable AI development and data governance.
3. Highlight scalable financing models that support women-led STEM initiatives and AI startups.
4. Inclusion of women in science and experts with disabilities as agents for change. 5. Engage youth and community leaders in co-designing inclusive technology roadmaps.
6. Develop an outcome declaration with actionable recommendations for Member States, UN agencies, academia and the private sector.
The Assembly’s Thematic Streams: • Integrate the SDG targets most relevant to women and science within each goal. • Highlight cross-cutting issues such as digital inclusion, climate resilience, and ethics in AI.
• Add measurable output (i.e., number of participants, case studies, policy commitments) to strengthen accountability.
• Include gender-disaggregated data in AI and STEM discussions, aligning with the UN Data Strategy.
• Add mention of ethics and data governance (AI bias, algorithmic transparency...) under the regulatory levers’ objective.
• Link with the UN Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda and the Summit of the Future (2024–2026) outcomes to ensure policy relevance.
The voice of Youth, Girls in Science 4 SDGs International Platform, and RASIT fellow scientists and experts with disabilities will be present in every conversation.
Panel 1: High-Level Panel on AI for Water, Energy, and Sustainable Cities: Bridging Voice to Action The Panel will bring together policymakers, UN entities, private-sector innovators, and women experts to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can drive integrated resource management, resilient infrastructure, and inclusive governance. It will examine pathways for transforming citizen-generated data and stakeholder feedback into actionable and scalable solutions that advance water security, clean energy access, and sustainable urban development - all in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
1. Framing • Align discussions with SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17 to reinforce thematic coherence.
• Position AI as a tool for inclusion, empowerment, and capacity augmentation, rather than replacement.
• Present the Panel as a bridging platform connecting global innovation with local implementation through equitable data governance and participatory approaches.
2. Focus
• Demonstrate AI-driven analytics and digital twins with practical examples such as smart water networks and renewable energy microgrids.
• Incorporate regional perspectives, particularly from developing regions and small island developing states (SIDS), to ensure global relevance and inclusivity.
• Strengthen cross-sector collaboration among public utilities, AI startups, academic institutions, and community organizations.
• Address ethical considerations including data transparency, accountability, and bias mitigation in infrastructure and governance applications.
• Link citizen-generated data to early warning systems and climate resilience initiatives, enhancing adaptive capacity and community-driven innovation.
Panel 2: High-Level Panel on Knowledge to Action: Social Science for Affirming Tangible Sustainability The high-level panel will bring together policymakers, representatives from UN agencies, academic experts, civil society leaders, and private-sector stakeholders to examine the systematic application of social science research in shaping impactful policies, programs, and practices that deliver measurable sustainability outcomes. The discussion will also address enduring structural barriers—particularly the gender pay gap in science and technology—which persist across both public and private sectors and carry long-term implications for pension equity and economic security. By leveraging social science evidence, panelists will identify actionable policy mechanisms, present frameworks for evidence-based decision-making, introduce innovative models for community engagement, and explore assessment tools that integrate social, cultural, and behavioral dimensions across multiple sectors.
1. Framing
• Anchor the session in SDGs 5, 8, 10, 11, and 17, emphasizing social justice as the foundation of sustainability.
• Present social science as a catalyst for tangible action - connecting evidence, culture, and policy.
• Position HRH Prince Mohammad’s message as the philosophical compass that unites science, culture, and inclusion.
2. Focus
• Bridge research and policy through institutional pathways that embed social science insights into national and local SDG strategies.
• Highlight evidence-based decision-making models, including behavioral insights units and social impact assessment frameworks.
• Address structural inequities, particularly the gender pay gap and its impact on pension security and women’s career longevity.
• Integrate intergenerational and cross-cultural perspectives to ensure inclusive, resilient, and equitable outcomes.
• Showcase community-centered sustainability initiatives that demonstrate the real-world impact of social-science-driven approaches.
Panel 3: High-Level Panel on Financing STEM for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development The high-level panel will translate the key outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development—most notably the Sevilla Commitment and Platform for Action to close the US$4 trillion SDG financing gap—into targeted strategies for STEM investments. Senior officials from ministries of finance, education, and science UN financing and development agencies multilateral development banks private-sector investors and civil society representatives will convene to identify mechanisms to mobilize, align, and scale up financing for STEM education, research, and innovation. These efforts will directly support the implementation of the Pact for the Future Declaration, ensuring that science, technology, and innovation become central drivers of sustainable development.
1. Framing
• Position STEM financing as a cornerstone of the global SDG financing architecture and a catalyst for inclusive, sustainable economic transformation.
• Strengthen cross-ministerial coordination among finance, education, and science portfolios to embed STEM investment into national growth and development strategies.
• Anchor the discussion in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Sevilla Commitment, and SDGs 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 17.
2. Focus
• Embed STEM financing within global sustainable development frameworks.
• Integrate science, technology, and finance policies to foster coherent and scalable investment ecosystems.
• Promote innovative financing mechanisms, including blended finance and public–private partnerships.
• Ensure gender equality and social inclusion across all STEM investment strategies.
• Strengthen accountability, transparency, and measurable impact in financing flows and implementation outcomes.
• Foster multilateral cooperation and cross-sector collaboration to accelerate progress toward the SDGs.
