The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated every year on February 11 and was established by the United Nations in 2015. The aim of this day is to highlight the decisive role of women in scientific progress, to break down discrimination and to encourage young girls to defend their abilities and pursue their dreams.

After a brief look back at modern history, it becomes clear that the participation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields is the result of a long and persistent struggle. In the last decade, the presence of women in research has been consolidated and, especially in the Biomedical Sciences, constitutes almost 50% of the human resource.

However, this positive development does not negate the significant underrepresentation of women that is still observed mainly in the fields of computer science and engineering. Specifically, in 2025 only 28% of employment in STEM fields was covered by women, a percentage that has increased only slightly and at a very slow pace in the last decade.

Furthermore, a special mention deserves to be made of the “Leaky Pipeline” phenomenon, which presents the dramatic decrease in the participation of women in postgraduate education and administrative positions. This fact is not due to a lack of skills but to the combination of various social, economical and cultural factors.

Looking for the causes of the above, racial discrimination plays a primary role, which even today degrades the abilities of young girls and associates scientific distinction with the male gender. In addition, the wage gap, lack of recognition and constant denigration lead to the discouragement of female scientists and their removal from STEM fields.

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an occasion to inform, educate and raise awareness of the wider society regarding the above phenomena. It is becoming clear that addressing inequities in the scientific field requires a collective effort that we, as medical students, must actively support. It is of utmost importance, as future health professionals, to recognize and reject racial discrimination and defend the rights of our colleagues. For this reason, HelMSIC, specifically the Standing Committee on Research Exchanges and the Research Opportunities program, challenges racial stereotypes and promotes the equal participation of male and female medical students in the scientific field.

The aim is to create an environment of justice and inclusion, which will ensure equality in research and, ultimately, scientific progress.