On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, ‘Listen First’ and key female scientists urge changes for the empowerment and education of young women
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people are relying more than ever on technology and the Internet not only to stay informed and connected, but to work and study. However, around the world, girls are not granted the same access to education as boys. According to UNESCO, 132 million girls are out of school worldwide and only 66% of countries have achieved gender parity in primary education.
To mark this day, UNODC/‘Listen First’ released it’s latest video on “The Science of Information” and spoke with two prominent women in science about the importance of education, how to include more girls in the sciences and how all children can access accurate information safely.
Read the press release here.
An Italian astrophysicist, Simonetta Di Pippo is Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). She too believes in education and mentoring to raise independent, resilient children. “Mentoring is important, so we run mentor programs all over the world to show the younger that they can make it too. When they are young they have to collect information and advice and look at the world, to take the best informed decisions possible and the decisions they make are their own, not somebody else’s.”
Read the interview here.
Dr. Nora D. Volkow, M.D, is a research psychiatrist, scientist, and Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in the United States. She emphasizes the importance of education and parents' involvement, especially to listen and connect with their children, to prevent substance use. “The involvement of parents is crucial but also the alertness that some children are at a higher risk, and that is why the Listen First becomes very relevant because by listening to the child the parents can learn, not just what the child communicates, but by the way, they communicate it. By listening to them we can understand the problems and intervene early on.”
Read the interview here.
Made possible with the generous support of France.