On 9^th February 2024, The National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), in collaboration with stakeholders including Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), Rwandan Association for Women in STEM (RAWISE), MasterCard Foundation Scholars program at the University of Rwanda (UR),  Rwanda Polytechnics (RP), African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Rwanda, Rwanda National Commission for UNESCO (CNRU), Organization of Women in Science for Developing World (OWSD) Rwanda Chapter, and other partners, celebrated the International Day of Women and Girls in Science under the theme: “Rwanda’s journey to advancing Women and Girls in Science for sustainable Development”. The event took place at Kigali Serena Hotel and was officiated by the Hon. Dr. Valentine Uwamariya, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, who highlighted Rwanda's commitment to advancing women and girls in science for sustainable development.

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015, addresses the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Global efforts are aimed at inspiring and empowering women and girls to pursue STEM careers and promoting gender equality in science.

Despite progress, the UNESCO report highlights that women represent only 33% of all researchers worldwide, with disparities in engineering (28%) and computer sciences (40%). In Rwanda, efforts are being made to address gender disparities in STEM education, but challenges persist, especially in higher education and research and development.

Therefore, the celebration aims to foster scientific and inspiring discussions, promoting equality in science, technology, and innovation for socio-economic sustainable development.

The event featured an exhibition showcasing the accomplishments of women and girls in developing practical solutions to societal issues in Rwanda, and interactive panel discussions with renowned scientists which allowed to provide young aspiring women scientists with valuable insights.

In particular, the celebration was marked with awarding women for their exceptional contributions to advancing science in society. The awards consisted of three categories:

• Female Science Leadership Award:

This award was given to Dr. Sylvie Mucyo, the Vice-Chancelor of  Rwanda Polytechnic – RP, who, in her leadership position, uses her position to demonstrate additional efforts, besides her routine responsibilities to promote women and girls in STEM in Rwanda. This award includes eight million Rwanda Francs (8,000,000 RWF), a certificate and a trophy.

• Female Researcher Award

This award includes six million five hundred thousand Rwanda Francs (6, 500,000 RWF), a certificate and a trophy. This award was given to Dr. Bellancile Uzayisenga, researcher at Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board – RAB, for her research outputs and productivity widely recognized, and has made a significant impact. This award includes six million five hundred thousand Rwanda Francs (6,500,000 RWF), a certificate and a trophy.

• Rising Star Award:

This award was given to Dr. Marie Sagesse Uwurukundo (Kepler- Rwanda)  for her innovation in creating a physical and tangible solution useful for the society. This award includes five million Rwanda Francs (5,000,000 RWF), a certificate and a trophy.

These awards make a total of 19 awards given to remarkable women for their outstanding contributions to science and technology, both in leadership and implementation since 2018.