Imagine more women in science: Now see it in action

27 February 2026

Every year on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the global scientific community reflects on a persistent challenge: women remain underrepresented across STEM fields. According to UNESCO, women make up only about 33% of researchers globally, with even lower representation in advanced scientific leadership and frontier technologies such as biotechnology and genome engineering. Building on the 2024 UNESCO Call to Action, "Closing the gender gap in science," and the 2025 global campaign, "Imagine a world with more women in science," the 2026 International Day of Women and Girls in Science marks a critical shift. The focus moves beyond recommendations and reflection to showcasing concrete, working solutions that are already shaping more inclusive technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) ecosystems.

The IITA Biotechnology Program stands as one such example. With women comprising 60% of the biotechnology team, and through sustained investments in capacity building, mentorship, and career progression, the program demonstrates how intentional institutional practices can translate global commitments into measurable impact. By training, mentoring, and retaining women scientists across the career pipeline, IITA's Biotechnology Program is actively contributing to the realization of a more equitable and representative scientific community, from pre-PhD exposure to postdoctoral research and leadership development.

Our biotech program views capacity building not only as a technical exercise but as a powerful mechanism for closing gender gaps in science. Through structured on-job training, doctoral research support, hands-on laboratory mentorship, and continuous professional development, women scientists are equipped with cutting-edge skills in genetic transformation, genome editing, molecular biology, and biosafety stewardship.

Beyond technical skills, mentorship plays a central role. Early-career scientists are supported through close supervision, peer learning, exposure to international collaborations, and opportunities to lead experiments, publish research, and represent science on global platforms. This holistic approach ensures that women are not only trained, but retained, visible, and empowered within the scientific ecosystem.

Speaking to Dr Leena Tripathi, IITA Eastern Africa Hub Director and Lead of the Biotechnology Program, on her guiding star on this issue, this was her rhetoric:

"As a scientist and mentor, one of my greatest motivations is to see women progress from trainees to confident, independent researchers. At IITA, we are deliberate about nurturing talent, especially among young women, because representation matters. Building scientific capacity goes beyond the skills; it's about belief, mentorship, and opening doors that were once closed."

The journey of Dr Easter Syombua illustrates how this approach translates into real impact. She first served as a research assistant in Dr Tripathi's group at IITA's biotech program for 2 years, where she built a strong foundation in laboratory techniques, experimental design, and critical thinking. Encouraged by mentorship and belief in her potential, she transitioned to a PhD under Dr Tripathi's NRF-funded project, focusing on yam genome editing, one of the pioneering gene-editing efforts in Africa.

Reflecting on her experience, she notes that she learned an enduring lesson: innovation in science must ultimately serve the farmer. That project ignited her long-term commitment to genome editing as a tool for transformative, farmer-centered solutions and shaped her aspiration to work within impact-oriented research organizations. Today, as an Associate Scientist at CIMMYT and a former Norman Borlaug Fellow mentor during her postdoctoral training, she represents the continuity of mentorship, having benefited from strong guidance and now investing in the next generation of scientists.

Stories like hers are not isolated. They reflect a broader system that gives women access, trust, and opportunity, allowing talent to flourish regardless of gender.

As the world calls for more inclusive science systems, the IITA Biotechnology Program stands as a practical example of how institutions can move beyond rhetoric to results. We are actively contributing to narrowing the gender gap in agricultural biotechnology, one of the most critical fields for food security, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

Contributed by Rose Harriet Okech