LocationsRedefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap in Asia-Pacific
February 9, 2026
Nomin Batbaatar is a ninth grader from Mongolia who lives in Khovd Province. Every year, mining companies organize career events at her school. Most of the activities are focused on boys who want to become engineers. They usually engage only boys for their programmes and most of the examples were given about men working in science and engineering. Nomin often feels left out, even though she is interested in science and wants to learn more about these careers. Across Mongolia, where classrooms are separated by mountains and endless stretches of steppe, many young girls find it difficult to imagine themselves as scientists, engineers, or digital innovators. A significant gender gap has persisted at all levels of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in these fields.
According to UNDP in Asia and the Pacific’s report, representation of women in STEM remains low across the region, comprising around 23.9 percent of researchers, below the already low global average of 29.3 percent. Yet regional demand for STEM graduates is growing. By 2030, as many as 80 percent of jobs in Southeast Asia will require basic digital literacy, applied information, communication and technology skills. (source: World Economic Forum)
From skills to opportunity, UNDP in Asia and the Pacific is equipping women and girls to close the digital divide and shape the future of a STEM-driven economy.
Advancing STEM and Mining Career for Girls in Mongolia
UNDP Mongolia launched a nationwide STEM career advocacy campaign in 2025, traveling over 10,000 kilometers reaching nearly 3,000 secondary school girls in local provinces.
Through “Girls in STEM” event, which was designed just for them, girls explored research-backed insights into STEM careers, and even the mining sector, an industry long perceived as “men’s work” in Mongolia and discovered that their talent and ambition are not limited by gender.
“I realized for the first time that many women can work and thrive in this field. I used to think social sciences were the only path for girls, but now I’m excited to explore other fields too,” said Nomin.
Mining remains central to Mongolia’s economy, offering strong career prospects, yet women represent only 14 percent of the global mining workforce. This gap is driven not by lack of talent but by stereotypes, social norms, and limited access to information. But the sector is evolving. New technologies, rising global demand for minerals in the low carbon transition, and calls for more equitable practices are transforming mining. Since 2015, UNDP has been supporting Mongolia in promoting inclusive and accountable mining governance. Through the STEM Girls in Mining initiative UNDP Mongolia published “STEM Women in Mining 50 Questions and Answers” and definitions of 52 STEM-based professions providing guidance and inspiration for STEM career.
The campaign was carried out under the Integra Initiative: Integrity in Public Goods and Services in Extractive Sector of Mongolia funded by the Government of Denmark, Luxembourg and the Republic of Korea through the UNDP’s Funding Windows mechanism.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurship through Digital Innovation and Inclusive Finance in China
Since 2022, the UNDP China has focused on strengthening women’s participation and leadership in rural digital transformation by combining digital innovation, financial inclusion, and targeted capacity building.
UNDP’s Leveraging Sustainable Development Finance, Accelerating the Revitalisation of Rural MSMEs project has helped unlock approximately CNY 146 million (approximately USD 21 million) in funding to support over 7,000 MSMEs, with a strong focus on women, leveraging digital financial tools and platforms.
In Rushan City, where oyster cultivation is the dominant local industry and women participate extensively across the supply chain, the project has supported local financial institutions in developing tailored digital financial products for women-owned oyster enterprises.
Through targeted capacity building programmes, over 3,300 women entrepreneurs have been trained in areas including AI applications, e-commerce marketing, financial literacy, and sustainable business management. In Zhuanghe City, women accounted for 66 percent of participants in recent AI-focused capacity building training.
UNDP has also collaborated with the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges under the Ministry of Commerce in the development of the Gutian Edible Fungi Digital Brain, a digital platform integrating big data analysis, traceability systems, and supply-chain finance for the local edible fungi industry.
Similarly, as part of bridging the digital gender gap and promote girls’ engagement in STEM, since 2023, UNDP China, with the support of United Nations Volunteer and local NGOs, has implemented HER Digital Future which has reached to nearly 5500 girls across more than 100 rural schools. Initially launched with funding through UNDP’s Digital X initiative, HER Digital Future focuses on helping teenage girls, throughout China, especially in rural and underdeveloped areas, to increase their digital literacy and knowledge of key STEM topics
Nepali Women Harness Technology to Drive Change
In Nepal’s off-grid Himalayan villages, through UNDP’s Gender Equality and Social Inclusion training programme ), Ramila Devi Khadka, a 42-year single woman from Bajura, Nepal, demonstrated that when given access to skills, technology, and opportunities women can thrive well in technical jobs, which are widely considered as men's domain.
As a trained Female Technology Promoter at the Malagad Khola Micro Hydropower Project, Ramila uses handheld meter readers to read meters faster and collects payments on the spot through mobile banking services. What once took weeks of manual billing and collection is now completed in days. Ramila’s technical role has also transformed her household. Now, with a stable income, she supports the education of her two daughters, one of whom is pursuing Undergraduate Bachelor’s degree in Science.
Beyond her own success, she serves as a mentor and role model, helping other women navigate both technical tasks and social barriers. Her work has not only improved the efficiency and sustainability of local energy systems, but also challenged gender norms, strengthened community trust in digital services, and created new pathways for women’s economic participation in Nepal’s remote hills.
UNDP’s Renewable Energy for Resilient Agri-Food Systems project funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy has been providing capacity building trainings encouraging women and youth to engage in technical work through linking them in resilient agriculture with energy solution. So far, the project has supported over 12,600 people in which 8994 are women.
Tonga's Sole Female Civil Engineer’s Mentor the Next Generation
In the Kingdom of Tonga, where traditional roles often define career paths, Victorina Palu Leger stands out as the country's sole female civil engineer.
Victorina, who completed her undergraduate studies in 2017, has spent nearly a decade breaking ground in a male-dominated field. But rather than pursuing conventional engineering projects, she has chosen to focus her expertise on humanitarian engineering, working on projects that directly impact communities' resilience and quality of life.
At the Government Middle School in Nuku'alofa, where 775 students and staff depend on reliable water access, UNDP’s Governance for Resilient Development Project has been implementing an innovative water tank project that showcases Viktornia’s ability to think beyond standard engineering solutions.
As one of very few female engineers in Tonga, Victorina is not just building water systems; she's building a legacy that demonstrates the vital importance of diverse perspectives in engineering and development work. She has been working closely with the school in mentoring the next generation of girls interested in STEM career.
How a Young Woman Is Using Science to Protect Pakistan’s Glaciers
When Sabrina Khan was a child in Passu village in Pakistan’s Gojal Valley, she was forced to flee her home as a glacial lake overflowed, sending panic through her community. There was no time to gather belongings, only the fear that everything might be lost overnight. Growing up in a remote mountain region, Sabrina experienced the impacts of climate change long before she had the language or tools to understand them.
That moment stayed with her. Years later, it inspired her to pursue Space Science and join UNDP’s Glaciers and Students Project, funded by the Government of Italy, which helped her gain hands-on training in geospatial science, remote sensing, and glacier monitoring, and work alongside local universities, government institutions, and international experts.
The initiative strengthens Pakistan’s capacity to monitor its glaciers, often referred to as the “Third Pole,” one of the world’s largest reserves of frozen water. By installing Automated Weather Stations across major glaciers and training nearly 400 students and officials, the project supported early warning systems, disaster risk reduction, and informed water resource management for vulnerable communities.
For Sabrina, learning to map glaciers transformed fear into confidence and curiosity into a career. “Science showed me that girls can move from witnessing climate impacts to creating solutions,” she says. “That shift changes how we see ourselves and our future.”
From STEM Graduates to Tech Leaders: Women Charting Myanmar's Digital Future
In Myanmar, over 60 percent of female tertiary graduates come from STEM programs. This strong foundation not only signals a strong presence of women in higher education but also promises significant progress toward gender equality in science and technology.
The Frontier Tech Leaders Programme, located in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, aims to bridge this academic achievement with real-world leadership and innovation. Supported by UNDP Myanmar, this initiative creates a dynamic platform where women amplify their technical expertise and leadership to shape the country's science and tech landscape.
In December 2025, a cohort of ambitious women entrepreneurs—many leading innovative tech and science-based startups came together for a training session focused on grant applications and proposal development. The session was strategically inclusive, engaging both women and men to foster collaborative partnerships. This approach provided participants with skills and knowledge to secure funding and forge partnerships that spark digital innovation and the growth of women-led enterprises in the context of inclusive recovery efforts.
This programme goes beyond skill-building. It's a platform that elevates the visibility and impact of women's leadership and contributions across Myanmar's science, technology, and innovation sectors.
Young Women Redefining Climate Science in Indonesia
Across climate-vulnerable communities in Indonesia, access to STEM education for young women remains limited by social norms and a lack of mentorship. UNDP’s youth empowerment efforts, now scaling through the Youth Moonshot, are helping turn this gap into opportunity.
Samintang, a climate activist co-found Climate Catalysts Indonesia to drive change from local to global levels. Through science-based climate education, hands-on STEM learning, and mentorship, Climate Catalysts creates pathways for young women to explore climate science, biotechnology, and planetary health in universities, faith-based schools, and rural communities from Makassar to North Luwu in South Sulawesi, and through global partnerships spanning Indonesia, Nigeria, and the United States.
Climate Catalysts’ programmes have reached over 4,000 youth, with women representing around 80 percent of participants, and built active networks across 10 countries. What began as access to STEM knowledge has become agency, enabling young women to lead community-based climate action, biodiversity conservation, and digital advocacy.
This impact was strengthened by early UNDP support through funding, training, and technical guidance from the YECAP Shakers Fellowship Programme in 2024.
How Digital Skills Are Empowering Madrasa Girls in Bangladesh
In Ukhiya, Bangladesh, where early marriage for girls is usual, Sadia and Kamrunnesa followed a different path by learning digital skills.
“At first, it sounded unreal. Computers? For girls like us?” Sadia said, still smiling at the memory. “We had never even touched one. I thought it was only for city people.” The course was free. It even came with a minimal allowance which was enough to convince their families to let them join. That single decision shifted transformed the entire journey.
“My family was looking for a suitor. But I wanted to delay it, to prove I could do something more. This course was my way out.” Kamrunnesa added.
The training was not just about software. It was about opening doors. MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, they learned it all. But what they really gained was confidence. Today, both Sadia and Kamrunnesa work as computer operators at NGOs.
And they are not alone. Across Cox’s Bazar, dozens of Qawmi Madrasa girls are rewriting their stories through the ISEC project, an initiative by UNDP, in partnership with ILO, BRAC, and supported by the Government of Bangladesh and Canada.
As of now, 1,140 Madrasa students and 620 youth have been trained in skills that match market needs.
Empowering Afghanistan’s Youth with Digital Skills for a Resilient Future
Through UNDP’s AI and Data Science Training Program under the Digital Solutions for Recovery, Afghan youth gained access to advanced digital skills in AI and data science. The program addressed a major digital skills gap in the private sector, particularly affecting youth, women, and graduates from rural areas. The Program delivered hands-on training in Python, machine learning, data visualization, predictive analytics, and sector-specific AI applications through a hybrid learning model, guest lectures, capstone projects, and internships.
Awareness campaigns reached over 500,000 people, generating 2,700+ applications, with 200+ youth selected, including strong representation of women and rural participants. 20+ internships were secured with companies including AfghanPay, MTN, Afghanistan International Bank, and PharmaOne, and several participants received full-time job offers before completing the program. Two female-only batches achieved an 87% attendance rate.
Meanwhile, in Kabul, UNDP has also established Digital Corners in schools in the Istalif and Mussahi districts, expanding access to digital learning in safe, structured environments, with a strong focus on girls’ participation. Built in schools already supported with solar energy through UNDP, these hubs provided computers, internet connectivity, tailored curricula, and dedicated female instructors which has benefitted over 60 students.
Increasing the participation of girls and women in STEM could empower them economically and build a more diverse and talented STEM workforce. Moreover, it could help ensure that diverse groups of girls and women would influence, benefit from and shape the world we live in as technology users, entrepreneurs and innovators. Gaining access to technologies and digital skills is one of the crucial ways for women to participate in political, economic, and social affairs.
“We want girls to believe in their dreams and have access to digital and technical skills and opportunities they need. At UNDP, we are committed to work with countries in creating the policies and conditions that facilitate gender equality in STEM. This will not only strengthen the careers of women and girls but also help drive economic growth. Today’s global challenges cannot be solved with the brainpower of just half the world. Supporting more women to pursue STEM tracks will be critical to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.”Ms. Beate Trankmann, Deputy Regional Director for UNDP Asia Pacific
From digital literacy to targeted STEM education and career pathways, UNDP is advancing women’s and girls’ participation in science and technology through a range of campaigns and initiatives. By opening access to skills, opportunities, and support systems, these efforts are helping more women shape the innovation economy which is an essential step toward building a Future Smart development path for the region.
