HR0720LRB101 19996 ECR 69522 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The idea for an International Day of Women and
3Girls in Science was generated during the 2015 Inaugural
4High-Level World Women's Health and Development Forum
5organized by the Royal Academy of Science International Trust
6(RASIT) and the United Nations Department of Economic and
7Social Affairs (DES); and
 
8    WHEREAS, This Forum was held at the United Nations
9Headquarters, with the participation of government Ministers
10and representatives, UNESCO, UN-Women, WHO, UNRWA, UNICEF,
11UNFPA, the Every Woman Every Child Initiative, and others; most
12of the distinguished guests and speakers at the Inaugural
13Forum, whether at ministerial, intergovernmental, diplomatic,
14academic or professional levels, were women in science; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Despite progress in ensuring opportunities for
16women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
17(STEM) fields, women and girls continue to be systematically
18underrepresented as users and leaders in these areas; in order
19to achieve sustainable development goals, we need to ensure
20full and equal access to and participation in science for women
21and girls; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Recent studies suggest that 65 percent of children

 

 

HR0720- 2 -LRB101 19996 ECR 69522 r

1entering primary school today will have jobs that do not yet
2exist; while more girls are attending school than before, girls
3are significantly under-represented in STEM subjects in many
4settings, and they appear to lose interest in STEM subjects as
5they reach adolescence; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Debunking the myths that girls do not like the
7sciences and other gender stereotypes, along with investment in
8teacher trainings, gender-responsive technology, and
9innovation, can reverse these trends; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Less than 30 percent of researchers worldwide are
11women; with too few women in decision making roles and
12higher-paying STEM jobs, the gender gap in STEM has deep
13implications for the future of global economy; women stand to
14gain only one new STEM job for every 20 lost, in stark contrast
15to men, who gain one new STEM job for every four lost; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Women still have less than two-thirds of the
17economic opportunity that men have; the jobs of the future will
18be driven by technology and innovation, and if the gender
19divide in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics
20(STEM) is not bridged soon, the overall gender gap is likely to
21widen; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Improved recruitment, retention, and promotion

 

 

HR0720- 3 -LRB101 19996 ECR 69522 r

1policies, as well as continuous learning and skills development
2for women, can go a long way towards closing this gap;
3therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
5HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6we declare February 11, 2020 as Women and Girls in Science Day.