International Women's Day 2023 Op-ed by the United Nations Secretary-General

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres warns in the op-ed on International Women’s Day, that progress on women’s rights is vanishing before our eyes.  He focusses on women in science, technology and innovation – this year’s theme for IWD – as one area where gender-based stereotypes and historical bias need to be urgently addressed. He points out that globally, men are 21 percent more likely to be online than women, and that in the tech industry, men outnumber women two to one, with an even worse ratio - five to one - in Artificial Intelligence. To address the imbalance, the Secretary-General calls for action on several fronts, including online education, removal of systemic barriers and a proactive approach to increase women’s participation and leadership in science and technology.