The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) launched the website for its Space4Women project on 11 February 2020. The website helps connect girls and women to career opportunities in the space sector and in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) more widely. The website is available at: https://space4women.unoosa.org/
Space4Women is a project of UNOOSA that encourages women and girls to pursue an education in STEM and raises awareness about career opportunities for women and the importance of gender equality in the space sector.
The website provides a global Space4Women network linking young women with positive female role models, who can advise and guide them throughout their career journey from education to occupation in STEM sectors. UNOOSA is currently looking for more mentors to join the network and help women navigate STEM careers.
The Space4 Women platform will be the central hub for global initiatives and for research on various aspects of women’s involvement in STEM and the space sector, under the umbrella of the United Nations.
Through Space4Women, UNOOSA will provide data, research and evidence-based policy advice to institutions and Governments to increase opportunities for women in the STEM and space sectors, and to recognize the contributions of women in these fields. The website also hosts a discussion forum and features news and events on these topics.
Leveraging the talent of women and girls all over the world is vital for humanity to maximize the benefits of space and reach unprecedented frontiers in space technology and exploration. An equal role for women is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030. This project contributes directly to SDG 4 (quality education) and SDG 5 (gender equality).
UNOOSA was able to launch the Space4Women website thanks to generous contributions from the Government of Israel and also from the European Space Agency and Women in Aerospace Europe.
“This website is a unique tool to increase women’s participation in the space and STEM sectors and I am confident it will help attract and nurture the talent of women and girls to advance humanity’s achievements in these fields,” said Simonetta Di Pippo, UNOOSA Director. “Throughout my entire career, I have been committed to supporting a balanced gender representation in the aerospace field and in society at large. Right now, I’m more committed than ever to having UNOOSA help break existing glass ceilings. Only with the active and full involvement of all of humanity we will be able to truly reach for the stars.”
