Our Objectives

OWSD's mission is to promote and strengthen the role of women scientists from the Global South in science and technology

We aspire to achieve this by empowering women through training and networking opportunities, supporting their research and leadership throughout their careers, and advocating for gender equality in science and technology. We envision a future where women scientists and technologists are agents of change in their communities, driving progress towards the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Since 1987, OWSD has provided a range of opportunities—PhD fellowships, master’s scholarships, early-career grants, and awards for scientific excellence—to thousands of women from Scientifically and Technologically Lagging Countries (STLCs). From individuals to institutions, OWSD amplifies women scientists’ impact on global development.

Rather than focusing exclusively on academic credentials, OWSD invests in researchers who are also committed to transforming their local contexts. This strategy extends the impact well beyond an individual’s career, as these women regularly become role models and innovators, influencing everything from institutional research priorities to national STEM policies.

Women bring critical perspectives based on their roles as caregivers, community leaders, and frontline responders to crises like water scarcity and food insecurity. Historically, research that overlooks women’s experiences can yield dangerous oversights—such as seatbelts not designed to protect pregnant women or heart-attack symptoms measured only for men. By empowering women in STEM, OWSD helps fill these knowledge gaps and ensures that scientific discoveries serve everyone.

OWSD’s added value lies in linking individual empowerment with institutional reform. Through national chapters in 57 countries (and counting), local women scientists have forged enduring networks for advocacy, mentoring, and fundraising. These chapters serve as a bridge between individual fellows and broader national priorities. For example, chapter members collaborate with science granting councils to shape research funding criteria in ways that explicitly promote women’s involvement and leadership.

More recently, OWSD has pioneered a “capacity plus fellowship” model, illustrated by the new master’s scholarship program for displaced women scientists in Jordan and Türkiye. This initiative includes support not only for individual scholars but also for host universities, helping them adapt curricula, build strong mentorship structures, and address gender-specific needs. The goal is to ensure that these institutions become sustainable hubs of inclusive research—long after the individual scholarships end.

Investing in one woman scientist’s career may seem like a small step when confronting the global gender gap in STEM. However, experience shows that such investment can spark changes that ripple through universities, national ministries, and entire scientific fields. OWSD’s multi-layered approach—fellowships, awards, national chapters, and robust institutional partnerships—proves that when women scientists thrive, they bring entire communities forward with them.

As OWSD’s impact studies reveal, supporting talented women in STEM delivers far-reaching returns: stronger national research agendas, policies that address real-world challenges, and more inclusive educational pathways that inspire girls to dream big. By amplifying individual success into collective change, OWSD demonstrates a practical, scalable solution to the persistent underrepresentation of women in STEM—one that directly contributes to sustainable development, gender equity, and global well-being.