Engineers Australia has marked International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026 by calling for greater inclusivity across science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), citing persistent gender gaps in participation and progression across the sector.
In a statement issued to coincide with the international observance on 11 February, Engineers Australia said this year’s theme, “Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls,” reflects the growing influence of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and their implications for gender equality across multiple fields.
Engineers Australia Chief Engineer Katherine Richards said the rapid growth of STEM-related jobs underscored the need to ensure women are not excluded from future opportunities.
“At a time when STEM jobs are rapidly growing, we must ensure women are not left behind,” Richards said. She added that STEM disciplines underpin the development and deployment of AI, and that gender-balanced research and engineering teams are important to improving outcomes and broader societal impact.
The organisation pointed to international and national data highlighting ongoing disparities. According to UNESCO, women account for about one third of researchers globally. In engineering, participation is lower, with Engineers Australia noting that women make up 16 per cent of qualified engineers in the Australian labour force.
Richards said engineering and related STEM roles offer significant economic opportunities and that broader participation can deliver benefits beyond individual careers.
“These roles offer significant economic opportunity, and we want to see more people, including women, share in that growth. Increasing women’s economic participation delivers benefits at every level both for the individual and the broader economy,” she said.
She also noted ongoing challenges, including “unacknowledged assumptions, bias and imposter syndrome,” which she said continue to affect women’s participation and progression in engineering.
Engineers Australia also referenced its own research, which found that 55 per cent of female engineers believe they have equal opportunities to men, while many women with engineering qualifications report that workplace systems are not designed to support long-term retention and career advancement.
The research indicated that seven in ten engineers with children believe flexible working arrangements would have the most positive impact on their career progression.
In its statement, Engineers Australia called on governments, industry and educators to work collaboratively to prioritise gender equity across STEM.
The organisation said coordinated action is needed to help ensure women and girls have opportunities to participate fully in STEM fields and that engineering is seen as a career open to all.
