Global Study Flags Leadership Gap for Women in Science

• Women at 31 percent in research, but missing in leadership
• Only 19 percent representation in science academies
• Gender gaps persist in funding and recognition

A 2026 global report by the International Science Council, InterAcademy Partnership, and the Standing Committee on Gender Equality in Science has found that academia continues to fall short on gender equity, with women remaining underrepresented across research, infrastructure, and leadership roles.

According to statistics published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, while additional progress has been made over the past decade, there were still only 31.1 percent of women employed as researchers worldwide in 2022 (this was an increase of 29.4 percent from 2012). However, there is still disproportionate representation, with women generally being underrepresented in the engineering and technology fields, whereas in the social sciences and humanities fields, there is a more even distribution of female researchers.

With more and more women participating in science, there has not been enough change to provide equal access to senior leadership positions. Women continue to experience significant barriers preventing them from gaining access to senior leadership and other decision-making roles within reputable scientific institutions around the world.

Over 130 Scientific Academy and International Unions were surveyed to provide data for the internationally produced report, while almost 600 scientists completed the survey.

The report includes evaluations on issues impacting women's access to research funding, including policy support, as well as generating publications. Results found that only 19% of national science academy members were female members in 2025.

This is significantly improved from 12 percent female in 2015 and 16 percent female in 2020; however, there is still a discrepancy between the number of females in national science academies compared to the total number of females that comprise the research workforce globally. Some national academies have less than five percent of their membership as female, while others have close to 40 percent.

Women hold approximately 40 percent of executive and administrative leadership positions at international scientific organizations; however, there remains a lack of equity in several areas relating to awarding high visibility and prestige to women, such as being awarded various types of scientific honors, particularly prestigious scientist awards.

Ongoing gender discrimination in scientific establishments has implications for the degree of equity, efficiency, and legitimacy within the organization and in society as a whole; thus, inclusive representation is essential for maintaining public confidence in the face of global challenges like climate change and pandemics.

The paper's authors, including Lea Nacache and Catherine Jami, have proposed that systematic changes be made to overcome structural barriers to achieving gender equity throughout all levels of scientific inquiry.