BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11
Trend:
Today, the literacy rate in Azerbaijan is close to 100 percent. 54 percent of students in the master course, 51 percent of PhDs at higher educational institutions, 46 percent of Doctor of science degree holders, and 56 percent of researchers in our country are women. Women represent 59 percent of the overall staff of the Azerbaijani National Academy of Science, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva said making a speech at an event held in a video format on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science as part of the “Year of Women” declared by ICESCO, Trend reports.
“At the same time, in our rapidly changing world, it is important that the education of girls and their participation in science should be adequate to new challenges. Globally, girls make up only 35 percent of all students who study in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects. In our country, this number is 40%, higher than the world’s average,” Mehriban Aliyeva said.
“As I mentioned before, many Azerbaijani women have made great contributions to science and have been the source of true inspiration for girls and young females to be engaged in science. But what is important today is to create more favorable conditions for our girls and young women to continue to improve their levels of involvement and to keep filling the gender gap in science,” Mehriban Aliyeva said.
“In my capacity as ICESCO goodwill Ambassador, I would call on all member states to invest more in these sectors, develop necessary policies and joint action plans. We need to design innovative financing mechanisms to equip women and girls with the necessary skills for tomorrow’s labor market. Azerbaijan is ready to provide its contribution in this regard,” Mehriban Aliyeva said.