As a solution to tackle the issue of gender imbalances in STEM, UNESCO aims to support and promote networks of women scientists in various scientific domains and regions, such as, among others, the African Women in Mathematics Association (AWMA), the African Association of Women in Geosciences  and the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES).

UNESCO’s Natural Sciences Sector is also working with the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), a network of more than 4,000 members throughout the world, created to provide research training, career development and networking opportunities for women scientists at different stages of their careers, as well as give to girls and women in science the opportunity to meet role models and mentors.

Finally, through the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programmes, multiple Chairs have been created on issues related to gender and women’s empowerment (GEWE), bringing together higher education and research institutions, and encouraging international and regional cooperation to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work on these topics. Among the Chairs working on issues related to GEWE, five of them focus on promoting women’s participation in sustainable development and water resources management (located in Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Morocco, Togo, and the Dominican Republic), whereas five other chairs aim to empower women in science and technology (located in Argentina, Egypt, Pakistan, Sudan, and Togo).