Every scientific discovery or breakthrough has been shaped by brilliant minds – however, those with more opportunities to shine have predominantly been men. While women make up 48% of doctoral graduates in the EU, they represent only one third of the total number of researchers in Europe. According to the UN, female researchers also tend to have shorter, worse-paid careers.
Despite some progress in recent years, women remain underrepresented in senior academic and decision-making positions, as well as many other fields. These disparities are driven by challenges such as unconscious bias, a lack of mentorship, and limited access to resources - barriers that continue to hinder the full participation of women in research and innovation.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is both a celebration and a call to action to inspire young girls and women around the world to spark their curiosity and creativity - and to reflect on how best to support their scientific aspirations.
The European Commission is committed to upholding gender equality as one of the core values of the EU. Read how the Commission is supporting equality with some key actions in research and innovation.
Promoting gender equality through EU research
The Commission has recently published a report entitled “Promoting gender equality and institutional changes through EU-funded research”.
The report presents a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of a selection of 23 EU-funded projects, highlighting their most valuable results, tools, and initiatives to achieve greater gender equality in research and innovation, as well as the outstanding challenges that remain to tackle the issue – such as the pay gap, work-life balance and gender-based violence.
One of these projects, MindTheGEPs, aimed to increase the number of women in research institutions by introducing structural and cultural change within them. For example, one of the proposals was to improve caregiving services to employees' children during holidays.
Meanwhile, the ATHENA project also strived to remove barriers to the recruitment, retention and career progression of female researchers worked, for example by modifying the attendance policy for young mothers in academia as to ensure they are not penalised in their path.
Gender equality plans
Gender equality is a priority of the European Research Area (ERA), with actions focused on driving institutional change in research careers at all levels. In 2022, this commitment was strengthened further, with all higher education establishments, research organisations, and public bodies from Member States and Associated Countries applying for Horizon Europe funding now required to implement a Gender Equality Plan (GEP).
These plans must address several areas such as work-life balance, gender balance in leadership and decision-making, gender equality in recruitment and career progression, integration of an inclusive gender dimension into research that acknowledges intersectionality, and measures against gender-based violence.
In 2026, the European Commission updated its guidance on GEPs to reflect the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027. Moreover, the newly introduced guidance “How to be ready for ex-post checks” provides additional support on the eligibility criterion for Horizon Europe GEPs, aiming to deepen the understanding of requirements and bolster compliance efforts.
Gender equality champions
The EU Award for Gender Equality Champions celebrates and recognises the outstanding results achieved by some change-driving academic and research organisations in the implementation of GEPs. The prize is shaping a community of changemakers who inspire others to adopt gender equality policies and drive meaningful, transformative institutional change.
To date, four award ceremonies have been held, honouring 16 champions overall. This year’s ceremony took place in February 2026, and celebrated five different institutes in Germany, Spain, Slovenia, Czechia and Ireland.
For instance, the latter – University College Cork (UCC) - is pioneering intersectional equality through innovative programs like reverse mentoring for women facing multiple biases, campus-wide accessibility upgrades, and supportive policies that enable staff and students to update their names in the university records following personal transitions.
The next call for applicants will open later in 2026. Discover how you can apply to become one of the next EU gender equality champions.
EU-funded projects strengthen the gender equality balance in STEM
Strengthening women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is not only a matter of equal opportunities and social justice, but also about meeting pressing societal challenges such as the green and digital transitions.
According to the latest “SheFigures” report, women remain underrepresented among doctoral graduates in most narrow STEM fields.
To tackle this imbalance, the EU is funding research and innovation projects aimed at increasing young girls’ participation in STEM activities, improving the recruitment, retention and promotion of women in science across the EU and beyond.
The Horizon Europe project STREAM IT tackles barriers for underrepresented groups in STEM by creating inclusive educational tools for young girls. The project aims to provide widely applicable solutions for various stakeholders, including workshop series to support girls towards STEM, hands-on activities at science centres and museums, mentoring programmes, and collaborative networks at national and international level.
To further boost interest and female participation in STE(A)M (where “A” stands for creative thinking and applied arts) while deconstructing gender stereotypes, three EU-funded projects - Road-STEAMer, The SEER and SENSE - are collaborating to develop and deliver a roadmap for science education in Horizon Europe, in synergy with the EU’s Erasmus programme.
STEAMBrace aims to address the existing gender gap in R&I by leveraging the potential of STEAM education and encouraging women’s participation. By fostering networking among stakeholders, data collection and training STEAMBrace strives to establish a European-wide alliance on STEAM education.
Meet some of the inspiring women behind European R&I
EU actions to eliminate gender inequalities in research and innovation have already yielded significant results, as seen in the stories of several remarkable women in science.
An example is Dr. Anne L’Huillier, the 2023 Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics, who works on the interaction between short and intense laser fields and atoms. She credits the MSCA programme’s early support for kickstarting her career.
Prof. Rana Sanyal, the winner of the 2024 European Prize for Women Innovators and a leading expert in biotechnology, is another prime illustration of the vital role EU funding plays in supporting women researchers.
Alba García-Fernández and Erika Pineda Ramirez are two more EU-funded researchers dedicated to developing more effective treatments for cancer patients. In honour of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, they offer inspiring advice for the next generation of female researchers.
“The contribution of women in science is invaluable. We have so much talent and ideas to offer. As Marie Skłodowska-Curie once said: 'I was taught that the way of progress was neither swift nor easy.' So, my advice is: believe in yourself and go after what truly excites you. Stay curious, keep learning!” said Alba García-Fernández, MSCA fellow.
Erika Pineda Ramirez emphasises that while the work environment can sometimes make things harder, women in research should keep trying and never give up because science needs more of their contributions.
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Details
- Publication date
- 10 February 2026 (Last updated on: 10 February 2026)
- Author
- European Research Executive Agency