In the words of Nihal Güngör: “I continue supporting women and girls who would like to pursue a career in STEM.”

Nihal Güngör, co-founder of SistersLab - Association for Women in Science and Technology, participated in the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) held between March 11 – 22. Attending the CSW68 with the support of UN Women, Nihal Güngör reflects on her experience at the meeting and emphasizes the significance of supporting women and girls in STEM fields.

“I am Nihal Güngör, a dedicated feminist and advocate for gender equality, with a focus on increasing female employment in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields and empowering women and girls in STEM. Women and girls in Türkiye and globally face numerous challenges in STEM fields, including gender biases, lack of role models, and limited access to STEM trainings and professional opportunities. These barriers often discourage them from pursuing and sustaining careers in STEM. To address these issues, my sisters and I founded SistersLab, an organization committed to raising awareness about gender equality in STEM fields and supporting diverse career choices for women. Through SistersLab, we conduct education, employment, and mentorship programs, and awareness campaigns designed to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women and girls in STEM. These efforts aim to break down the systemic barriers and foster a culture that values and promotes gender diversity in STEM careers.

At CSW68, I had the opportunity to meet and engage in discussions with civil society organizations, private sector representatives, and country delegates from all around the world. Concerns were raised about the challenges elderly women face in accessing technology in the digital age and the risk of new technologies such as artificial intelligence further marginalizing disadvantaged groups. The importance of international cooperation and policy changes to address these issues and find solutions was emphasized.

The new connections and relationships I established at CSW68 will create potential opportunities for future collaborations and projects for SistersLab. We believe that this experience will further strengthen our efforts in STEM for the rights of women and girls. Considering that the proportion of women graduates in STEM fields in Türkiye is only 34.7%, we have a long way to go in increasing the rate of women employees and even in decision making mechanisms of STEM.

Finally, echoing the words of writer, poet, and artist Maya Angelou, ‘Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.' Our experiences, struggles, and injustices are similar. However, our struggle against these challenges is unified. Our hopes aim not only to build a fair and bright future for ourselves but also to achieve it hand in hand with all our sisters. I will continue standing up for and supporting women and girls who would like to pursue a career in STEM."

The participation of Nihal Güngör to the CSW68 was supported by UN Women Türkiye through the “Strong Civic Space for Gender Equality” project funded by the European Union.