In December 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, first observed in February 2016 through a partnership between the UN, UNESCO, UN Women, and international scientific institutions. The day recognizes the critical role women and girls play in the scientific community, while spotlighting the persistent gender gap in the field: women still make up less than a third of researchers worldwide and continue to face barriers entering and advancing in scientific careers, despite matching or exceeding male peers in academic performance. The day is marked through scientific conferences and educational initiatives aimed at girls in schools and universities, along with mentorship programs and scholarships encouraging them to pursue STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), with the goal of closing the gender gap and fully harnessing women's scientific potential for sustainable development.