International Day of the Girl: UNICEF Continue to Promote Girls in Science

Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan – 10 October 2025 – UNICEF continues its partnership with Clé de Peau Beauté to advance girls’ education and empowerment in Kyrgyzstan through an additional USD 900,000 contribution to the STEM4Girls (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Empowerment for Girls) initiative. The renewed support reinforces UNICEF’s long-term commitment to promoting gender equality and strengthening girls’ leadership in science, innovation, and climate resilience.

This partnership was announced at a special event dedicated to the International Day of the Girl at the International University of Central Asia. The event celebrates the achievements and leadership of Kyrgyz girls who are driving change in their schools and communities under UNICEF’s STEM4Girls project.

“Every girl has the right to learn, to lead, and to shape the future. Through initiatives like STEAM4Girls, we see the incredible potential of Kyrgyz girls to innovate and create solutions for the challenges their communities face,” noted Samman J. Thapa, UNICEF Representative the Kyrgyz Republic. “We are deeply grateful to Clé de Peau Beauté for their continued investment in the power and agency of girls.”

The celebration that brought together more than 150 adolescent girls features inspirational talks, STEM and climate workshops, and performances. Participants include girls from UNICEF’s Girls in Science program, mentors from ProKG, High Technology Park, Enactus Kyrgyzstan, and government representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Natural Resources and others. Asel Chynbaeva, Commissioner for Children's Rights, also took part in the opening of the event.

In her speech, Asel Chynbaeva noted that such initiatives as STEM4Girls help strengthen the confidence of Kyrgyz girls, develop their leadership qualities and inspire the new generation to actively participate in the public and scientific life of the country.

The event activities included a “Girls’ Heritage Wall” symbolizing generation of female leadership, and the presentation of the Girls’ Manifesto on Climate Action.

Through STEAM4Girls, UNICEF supports girls to develop STEAM skills, pursue higher education, and contribute to community-based climate and innovation projects. Over the past 5 years, more than 50,000 teenagers participated in the events organized under this programme. Hundreds of schoolgirls participated in training sessions dedicated to STEAM education, digital literacy, and leadership. The programme is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Despite progress, challenges persist globally, adolescent girls aged 15–19 are twice as likely as boys to be out of school, work, or training; and in crisis settings, they are 90% more likely to miss out on education. In the face of climate and social crises, Kyrgyz girls are stepping forward as leaders, innovators, and changemakers.

With Clé de Peau Beauté’s renewed investment, UNICEF will expand the STEAM4Girls program to reach more schools across Kyrgyzstan, providing mentorship, digital learning, and innovation labs during 2025-2027. In this new phase, the programme will also focus on arts, not only STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) to foster creativity and innovation alongside scientific and technical skills. The partnership aims to ensure that every girl—regardless of where she lives—has the opportunity to learn, lead, and thrive.

The International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated on October 11 since 2011. The main goal is to focus attention on the need to solve problems faced by girls, and to encourage the expansion of rights and opportunities for girls and the implementation of their rights.