Supporting women and girls in science is key to achieving a more humane and effective foreign policy

Moderated by Ambassador Darja Bavdaž Kuret, Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, the discussion included Prof. Dr Maja Zalaznik, President of the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO; Dr Neža Vadnjal, a researcher at the National Institute of Chemistry; Dr Mark Pleško, CEO of Cosylab; and Prof. Dr Matjaž Mikoš, President of the Slovenian Academy of Engineering.

“The empowerment of women and girls is a foreign policy priority that Slovenia has persistently advocated within the international community for decades. We have consistently opposed gender-based violence and discrimination, and promoted women's rights and participation in all peace-related activities, including during our recent term on the UN Security Council,” said Minister Fajon in her opening remarks. Since January, Slovenia has once again been a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (for a three-year term) and will continue to raise awareness of women's rights.

She said that the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs had taken several concrete steps forward during its last term, particularly in strengthening the representation of women in leadership positions, including ambassadorial posts, and in making a clear commitment to a feminist foreign policy that addresses both women and men. At the same time, the Ministry is stepping up its efforts to promote Slovenian excellence in science. This includes establishing a special science diplomacy department and setting up a science fund to support the promotion of scientific research activities abroad in cooperation with the relevant sector.

Minister Fajon said that women still face obstacles in both science and diplomacy, such as stereotypes, unequal access to quality education, biased hiring and promotion practices, exclusionary work culture and unequal pay. She referenced research findings indicating that the inclusion of women, along with diverse perspectives and experiences, has a positive impact on achieving better, more sustainable results and accelerates innovation. “Representation matters — not only as a matter of fairness, but also as a matter of effectiveness. Eliminating gender differences in our societies is our shared responsibility – that of politicians, diplomats, leaders in science and technology, and researchers themselves. I believe that each of us has a role to play,” concluded Minister Fajon.

In her introduction, Ambassador Veronika Stabej, representative of the Slovenian Network of Women in Diplomacy, emphasised that supporting women and girls in science is not only a matter of equality, but also leads to better decision-making, stronger cooperation and a more humane and effective foreign policy. “We want future generations of girls to be able to imagine not only participating in science, but also leading progress and shaping our common future,” she said.

Drawing on their own experiences, the panellists discussed the career challenges faced by women in science and research, including the specifics of advancement for young people and differences in pay. They agreed that institutional support for women in science must be strengthened, and that positive projects must be developed to close these gaps. However, they also emphasised that a shift in the mindset of society as a whole is necessary to achieve equal opportunities. “It is crucial to encourage women and their ambitions through education, training and raising awareness, so that we are prepared to become more actively involved, promote ourselves, help each other and share positive role models,” emphasised Prof. Dr Maja Zalaznik.