International Women’s Day 2025: Women in science and technology

Approximate read time: 16 minutes

1. Background: International Women’s Day 2025

International Women’s Day (IWD) is marked on 8 March each year. It was first recognised by the UN in 1977, though it has earlier roots in the labour movements of the early 20th century.^[1] The theme for IWD 2025 is ‘For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment’.^[2]

In addition, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science recently took place on 11 February. The day recognises “the critical role women and girls play in science and technology”.^[3] It was established by a UN general assembly resolution adopted on 22 December 2015. This year marks the day’s 10th anniversary. The day’s focus was ‘Unpacking STEM careers: Her voice in science’.

2. Data on women in STEM: Education and employment

2.1 Definition of STEM

STEM is an umbrella term used to link the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In education, it often refers to the study of these subjects, either exclusively or in combination.^[4] In employment, STEM is usually used to refer to jobs requiring the application of science, technology, engineering or mathematics skills, a qualification in a relevant subject, or a role located in a particular industry or sector. Although there is no universally accepted definition in either setting, the term is regularly used in research, data and commentary.

2.2 Education

Data has shown that overall women in further education in the UK are currently less likely to study STEM subjects than men. However, there are some subjects within the STEM categorisation which women are more likely to choose. For example, Department for Education data on A-level exam entries by sex in 2023–24 (as displayed in figure 1) showed that men were more likely to study mathematics, computer science and physics, with women more likely to study chemistry and biology.

Figure 1: A-level exam entries in STEM subjects by sex, 2023–24

A similar pattern can be seen at degree level (as shown in figure 2). Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (as analysed by the government) showed that in 2022–23 men made up the majority of students in most STEM subjects, but not in natural sciences, psychology, medicine and dentistry, as well as subjects allied to medicine.

Figure 2: UK-domiciled enrolments in STEM subjects at degree level by sex, 2022–23

In addition, women are less likely than men to start an apprenticeship in a STEM field. Analysis of Department for Education data by Engineering UK showed that in 2023–24 women accounted for 17% of engineering and technology-related apprenticeship starts in England, compared to 52% across all subject areas.^[5] The organisation reported that the proportion of female apprenticeship starts for engineering and technology-related subject areas had improved over time but remained below the average across all subject areas.

Research published by UNESCO, the UN’s educational, scientific and cultural organisation, has shown that globally women are less likely to study STEM subjects.^[6] Using data from 2018 to 2023, released for the ‘Global education monitoring, gender report 2024’, UNESCO found that women made up “only 35% of STEM graduates”. The data showed that in European and high-income countries the share of women in STEM fields of study dropped “heavily” at the end of secondary school. In OECD countries it was found that women made up 31% of those entering STEM programmes, compared with over 75% in education, health and welfare. However, there were nine countries where the majority of STEM graduates were female, including Arab states such as Syria and Tunisia.

Focusing on longer term trends, UNESCO reported that there had been no change in the share of STEM graduates who were female in a subset of 50 countries where data was available in 2010–11 and 2020–21.^[7] Countries such as Chile were found to have stagnated, with a constant figure of 20%, whereas others saw a fall. For example, Hungary saw the largest decrease amongst those with an initial position of below average, with a fall of five percentage points to 29%. In contrast, the three countries with the largest increases were North Macedonia (from 40% to 50%), the Netherlands (from 21% to 31%) and Morocco (from 39% to 49%).

UNESCO noted that “bundling all STEM subjects together” hid some variation.^[8] It said that in 2016–18, women represented 28% of engineering, manufacturing and construction graduates and 30% of ICT graduates, but 57% of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics graduates. UNESCO also argued that as young women are more likely to graduate from university in the majority of countries, “the share of females in the total number of STEM graduates is slightly misleading”.

2.3 Employment

Both domestic and international data has showed that fewer women are employed in STEM fields than men. In the UK, the Office for National Statistics has published data from its annual population survey on employment by occupation and by sex. Data for the period October 2023 to September 2024 (as set out in figure 3 below) showed that more men were employed in each of the STEM fields. However, in some areas, such as natural and social science, conservation and environment, as well as research and development, the differences between the number of men and women employed was small.

Figure 3: Men and women employed as science, research, engineering and technology professionals, October 2023 to September 2024

UNESCO has argued that the global gender gaps in those studying STEM subjects have translated into gender gaps in those pursuing STEM careers.^[9] It found that women held less than 25% of science, engineering and ICT jobs in 2022. It also estimated that women occupied just over one-in-five technology positions in companies. In addition, UNESCO found similar disparities among STEM teachers. It noted that the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey results had shown that 31% of lower secondary school male teachers taught STEM subjects compared to 25% of female teachers.

3. Barriers faced by women and girls in STEM

The lack of women in STEM fields has often been referred to as a “leaky pipeline” problem. This phrase refers to the idea that despite having the interest and ability to succeed in STEM careers, women tend not to pursue or remain in them.^[10] The metaphor highlights decision-making moments when women divert from STEM pathways. These could include when choosing which subjects to study in further education or when starting a family. The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee used the leaky pipeline term in its 2014 report on women in scientific careers.^[11] The committee used the phrase to highlight the “gradual loss of women working at each career stage”.

Although the leaky pipeline problem is widely recognised as an issue in STEM subjects, the problem is not exclusive to these fields. It has been seen in other subjects, including the arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law.^[12]

Focusing on the reasons behind the leaky pipeline and the lack of gender diversity in STEM, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee argued that there is no single explanation.^[13] Rather, it said the problem was the result of “perceptions and biases combined with the impracticalities of combining a career with family”. The committee explained that early academic STEM careers are characterised by short term contracts, which are a barrier to job security and continuity of employment rights. It said this career stage often coincides with the time many women are considering starting families. As women tend to be the primary carer, they are more likely than men to end their STEM career at this stage. The committee also argued that while encouraging girls to choose STEM subjects to study was commendable, “such efforts are wasted if women are subsequently disproportionately disadvantaged in scientific careers compared to men”. It said that the government should therefore focus on enabling women to stay and progress in STEM careers.

The Equal4Europe project, which looked to develop gender-equality standards and address the leaky pipeline in certain subjects, also examined the barriers women face when pursuing academic careers.^[14] It noted several barriers, including balancing family responsibilities with the requirements of an academic career (which can include travel, international mobility and long hours), unconscious or implicit gender bias, and sexual harassment in male-dominated fields with a hierarchical power structure. It also argued there were important differences in accessing mentoring and formal/informal networks between men and women.

Ella Haman, chief technology officer at Kapitus (a small business loan solution provider), has highlighted the attitudes taken towards women, arguing that subtle gender stereotypes persist:

While breaking into technology leadership roles has become more accessible for women, the prevailing perception that women are often seen as competent ‘fixers’, while men with similar or lesser levels of experience are viewed as visionaries, remains an ongoing challenge.^[15]

Girls’ and women’s attitudes about their own abilities in STEM subjects have also been raised. A study published in 2018 by the Institute for Fiscal Studies asked female students and their teachers about the reasons they may or may not choose to study maths or physics at A-level.^[16] Based on their findings, the authors argued the gender gap in these subjects was not due to a lack of interest or because girls did not understand or value the prospects offered by a STEM career. Rather, it argued that confidence seemed to be “a big part of the issue”, particularly in relation to physics. Many female students demonstrated a lack of confidence in these subjects despite being predicted high grades. Teachers also cited a lack of confidence as the biggest factor affecting the gender gap. In addition, the research suggested that girls are put off from studying the subjects by the prospect of being one of the only girls in their class at school or university, with this concern carrying over into the workplace. The authors argued that the fact that girls who attended single-sex schools were more likely to study these subjects than those in mixed-sex schools supported this idea.

To address these issues, the authors argued that interventions are needed which send “a strong signal to girls that not just they, but also a significant number of their peers, are being encouraged to pursue maths and science”. However, the authors acknowledged that this may not be enough.^[17]

In addition, STEM Women, an enterprise that hosts networking and careers events, highlighted the link between education and employment.^[18] It said that the lack of representation of women in STEM subjects in higher education (HE) impacted the STEM workforce. It argued that further work was needed to encourage women to “study STEM subjects, to transition into the workforce, and to become future leaders in STEM”.

4. Government policy

In February 2025, the government set out its stance on encouraging more girls to study STEM subjects in a written question response.^[19] Baroness Smith of Malvern, the minister for skills and government spokesperson for equalities, said that the government continued to support the take up of STEM subjects by girls and women in HE. She argued that such skills are crucial for the delivery of the government’s missions and said it was building a “coherent, flexible, high-quality skills system to break down barriers to opportunity and drive economic growth”. She explained this would be underpinned by a new post-16 education and skills strategy which has not yet been published.

Baroness Smith also said the government had committed to substantial spending on mathematics, digital and technical education to “boost quality [and] encourage more students into STEM across schools and further education”.^[20] She argued this would ensure a “strong pipeline of qualified students into HE and careers in STEM areas”. Baroness Smith cited government funding of the ‘Advanced mathematics support programme’, which provides professional development to teachers in state-funded schools and colleges in England, as an example of this spending.^[21] She explained that the programme included strategies to raise girls’ participation in mathematics post-16. However, a note on the programme’s website stated that, as of 1 April 2025, the government would be reducing funding “due to financial challenges”.^[22] The programme said that this would mean a reduction in the number and type of events available through the programme.

In addition, Baroness Smith highlighted funding provided to the National Centre for Computing Education to “support the teaching of computing and increase participation in computer science qualifications”.^[23] She said this support included programmes designed to encourage greater participation by girls and industry-led events that raised pupils’ awareness of careers in computing and digital.

Baroness Smith said that the government was also supporting schools to deliver STEM-related careers education through programmes such as STEM ambassadors.^[24] She argued these initiatives raised young people’s awareness of the options available for technical and academic routes into STEM and the careers such pathways offer. In response to an earlier written question in the House of Commons, Catherine McKinnell, minister for school standards, said that the STEM ambassadors programme had a nationwide network of over 28,000 registered volunteers.^[25] These volunteers came from over 7,000 STEM and related employers and delivered 356,000 volunteer hours. Of these STEM ambassadors, 56% were under 35, 48% were women and 20% came from ethnic minority backgrounds.

In addition, Baroness Smith explained that the government would continue to support learners through its technical education offer.^[26] She said “a wide range of high-quality qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities” were available at all levels. For example, she highlighted that 12 T-levels in STEM subjects were available and had been promoted via the Skills for Life ‘National communications campaign’.^[27] She also said the government had created over 370 employer-designed apprenticeship standards in STEM and that the government was promoting these to girls in schools through the apprenticeship support and knowledge programme.^[28] Baroness Smith noted that in 2023/24, 17.7% (17,220) of STEM apprenticeship starts were by women, compared to 15.8% (15,170) in 2022/23.

Catherine McKinnell has highlighted several other measures the government is taking to promote STEM in education.^[29] For example, Ms McKinnell said that the government had committed to improving the quality of mathematics teaching in nurseries and primary schools. She said that it would learn from the success of phonics and would continue to support the professional development for maths teachers in schools and post-16 institutions. For science, Ms McKinnell said the government would ensure access to high-quality teaching for every pupil. She highlighted funding for the ‘subject knowledge for physics teachers’ programme which comprises of six modules to upskill non-specialist teachers of physics. Ms McKinnell also noted that the Oak National Academy offered “free, optional and adaptable materials for use at key stages 1 to 4 in mathematics, computing and all three sciences”.

Ms McKinnell said that the government had established a “comprehensive network” of 21 institutes of technology across England to “significantly increase the number of learners with higher technical skills in key STEM sectors”.^[30] She also said that the government had announced an initial teacher training financial incentives package for the 2025–26 academic year recruitment cycle worth £233mn, which she said was a £37mn increase on the last cycle. Ms McKinnell explained that this package would include a range of measures, such as bursaries worth £29,000 and scholarships worth £31,000, both tax free, to encourage “talented trainees in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing”. In addition, Ms McKinnell said that for the 2024–25 and 2025–26 academic years, the government was offering a targeted retention incentive, worth up to £6,000 after tax, for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools.

5. Women and AI

With the recent development of new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies making headlines, the lack of women in this area has been highlighted. A 2020 study by Ipsos Mori (commissioned by the government) found that across surveyed organisations, 24% of employees in AI roles were women.^[31] It also reported that 53% of organisations had no female employees in AI roles. In addition, research by the Alan Turing Institute found that women in AI and data roles were more likely to occupy a job associated with lower status and pay.^[32] It also reported that women working in AI and data science had higher turnover and attrition rates than men.

Several commentators have noted this gender gap and argued that women must be involved in the development of AI. For example, Professor Elena Gaura has argued that the rapid advancement of AI and its influence on society “demands diverse perspectives to ensure ethical, innovative and equitable technological solutions”.^[33] Professor Gaura explained that AI systems are shaped by those who design them, and therefore a lack of gender diversity could lead to “biased algorithms that fail to serve broad societal needs”. She also argued that diversity in AI development would foster creativity, enhance problem-solving capabilities and ensure that emerging technologies reflect a wider range of human experience. She called for an expansion of opportunities for women and girls in STEM, stating this could be an investment in “a more inclusive and forward-thinking future”.

UNESCO have also called for the promotion of female leadership in AI and technology development to help address the disparity of women employed in STEM fields.^[34] It said this could include investing in programmes that can empower girls and young women to study in STEM fields and to pursue STEM careers. UNESCO believed such measures would assure “a gender-sensitive digital transformation and address gender stereotypes in algorithms”.

In addition, commentators have argued that women could get left behind in an AI-driven economy due to their lack of representation in STEM fields. Writing for the LSE Business Review, Anne Theunissen and Lorea Olivieri Novoa argued that governments must invest in STEM education for girls to bridge the digital divide and ensure that AI is developed with a “gender lens”.^[35] They said that existing gender disparities in the job market could worsen without change and that AI’s involvement in recruitment processes could perpetuate and possibly increase gender biases affecting women’s professional development.

6. Read more

• World Economic Forum, ‘Global gender gap report 2024’, 11 June 2024
• Office for National Statistics, ‘Gender pay gap in the UK: 2024’, 29 October 2024
• UNESCO, ‘Global education monitoring report 2024, gender report: Technology on her terms’, 2024

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Cover image by Andrew Oklu on Unsplash