Doha, February 12 (QNA) - Qatar University on Sunday celebrated the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2023, in cooperation with the Qatar National Committee for Education, Culture and Science and the UNESCO office in Doha, with the participation of a group of Qatari female scientists and researchers, and a number of high school students.

This celebration, for the fifth consecutive year, stems from Qatar University's belief in the role of women and their active participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, in addition to their remarkable role in making success.

QU's Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Dr. Mariam Al Maadeed told QNA, in remarks on the margin of the celebration, that the successes of Qatari women in the fields of science, engineering and technology reflect the State's attention to educating women and empowering them in the fields of research and development.

She pointed out that females represent 75 percent of the total number of students at Qatar University, and that they have a great passion for studying science and engineering. This is evident in their numbers in the colleges of medical and health sciences, engineering, arts and sciences.

Dr. Al Maadeed asserted that Qatar University supports and encourages female students through various programs and initiatives to enroll in purely technological and scientific disciplines.

In her speech during the celebration, she said that this occasion is an inspiring opportunity to honor women and girls and encourage them towards further progress in the fields of science and technology.

For his part, Director of the UNESCO Office in Doha Salah Khaled hailed the progress made by Qatari women and girls in the field of science and engineering, and the levels of empowerment in the educational field in general.

The State of Qatar has made a great achievement in the field of empowering women and providing them with opportunities for innovation in the field of science and engineering, to win many international awards, including the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science, he said.

Acting Secretary-General of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science Ali Abdul Razzaq Marafie said that this years of this day is an embodiment and promotion of the fifth goal of the sustainable development goals related to the empowerment of women, noting the pivotal role of women in providing for their families and building their society.

He added that protecting women's rights and benefiting from their knowledge is vital to achieving lasting peace and sustainable development, stressing the urgent need to enhance the capabilities of women and girls in the field of science, and provide sufficient resources to meet their scientific requirements and develop their own capabilities.

The State of Qatar pays great attention to enhancing the status of Qatari women and girls in the field of science and scientific research, and to consolidate the foundations of constructive scientific thinking, he stressed.

The ceremony featured a number of Qatari female scientists and researchers, who spoke about their experiences in the fields of science and engineering.

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an annual observance adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to promote the full and equal access and participation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. (QNA)