At the Girls In Science exhibition organized by the Embassy of France and Insitut Francais, Nigeria, the concentrate is on highlighting ladies in science, but the message centers on fostering digital access for ladies to thrive in Science, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).  

The exhibition chronicles ten female scientists, 5 French scientists, and 5 African scientists, a single from Nigeria, in recognition of the considerable discoveries and study ladies have contributed to the field of science more than the years. 

It is in line with the United Nations 2023 theme for International Women’s Day, DigitALL Innovation and Technologies for Gender Equality. 

Girls In Science is a reminder that although there appears to be a low presence of ladies in international science, there are extra of ladies sciences than we believed of, and even African ladies scientists. Therefore, the have to have to highlight them. There is Lesotho’s Tebello Nyokong contribution to nanotechnology and photochemotherapy which paved the way for safer cancer detection and therapy, an option that kills cancer cells in the physique devoid of damaging other cells. Kenya’s Wangari Muta Maathai, founded the Green Belt movement, the biggest movement against deforestation that helped plant more than 50 million trees, and fight for humans’ rights and in certain ladies rights. 

Madagascan, Zara Randriamanakoto co-founded the Malagasy Astronomy and Space Science association to market astronomy amongst young students, and the international movement Ikala STEM that rallies about 300 ladies scientists across 4 continents that inspire girls and ladies to a profession in science. She is a single of the two female astrophysicists in Madagascar, and is presently investigating the formation, evolution and disruption mechanisms of huge star clusters. Francine Ntoumi worked to protect against the spread of illnesses like Ebola, major a project for the EU to fight the Ebola virus epidemic. She also began the project to encourage young girls to study sciences known as Femmes &amp Sciences. Lastly, Nigeria’s Ekanem Nkpi Braide credited with the eradication of guinea worm in Nigeria. Braide is also the existing and 1st female president of the Nigerian Academy of Science because its establishment in 1944. All ten ladies received international science awards for the contributions to science.

In truth, a 16-year-old Nigerian girl, Faith Odunsi final year (2021), became the globe mathematics champion, following she won the Worldwide Open Mathematics Tournament.  

Even so, in Africa, and especially Nigeria, the quantity of Africa ladies in science is not translating to an elevated quantity of ladies in science. This is for a quantity of motives, the lack of access to education, inadequate access standard science education and infrastructure, as properly as low access to digital technologies.

Therefore, TECH HER’s CEO, Chioma Agwuegbo’s challenge to the exhibition’s attendees to assistance enhancement of women’s/girls’ access to DigiTech. 

“There can’t be digital innovation devoid of access. There can’t be digital innovation devoid of infrastructure. My organization runs a digital inclusive project that has so far reached 19 schools in peri-urban communities in Abuja. In some of these schools, the kids sit on the floor. some of these schools are not connected to the national grid. 

“I want to enjoin just about every a single of right here these days, just about every time you appear at the photos, believe of the sensible, sustainable techniques we can engage and shift the needle on access. Assume of sustainable, sensible and revolutionary techniques, we can engage with our partners, be it neighborhood or international to make certain that we have extra girls in classrooms who are protected, beyond signing treaties and signing of partnerships.”

In her message to young Nigerian girls, the French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Emmanuelle Blatmann, reassured them they can be something they want to be in the field of science, regardless of naysayers who may possibly claim it is a field for the opposite sex. “You can thrive in the what ever sector you want. It is not mainly because you are a lady that you can’t do it. All the things is for you.”

To ladies everywhere she urged to go into politics. “My only regret is the really smaller quantity of ladies in politics. I believe it is significant this modify more than the years. I know some ladies do not want to go into politics mainly because it can be a challenging sector. But, if you definitely want to modify factors, we have to have ladies who want to go into politics. We also have to have males who are He for Shes that are believers in ladies and are prepared to assistance them,” concluded Blatmann.