On March 6, 2024, on the eve of International Women’s Day, the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, held a ceremonial event at the Kazakh National Women’s Pedagogical University. The event brought together leading women scientists from across the country.
In his speech, the President of the National Academy of Sciences, A. Kurishbayev, noted that for many decades, International Women’s Day has been celebrated as an official holiday in our country, symbolizing spring, feminine beauty, tenderness, wisdom, and recognition of the fair half of humanity. The tradition of the holiday also includes honoring women’s achievements in political, economic, and social spheres.
A. Kurishbayev emphasized that women play a crucial role in the development of science, accounting for nearly 60% of the total number of scientists. He highlighted the historical challenges women faced, suffering from severe discrimination, including in the field of science, before the 20th century. Women were often excluded from scientific endeavors and deemed incapable of contributing to science. The pioneers of that era had to overcome numerous obstacles, adopt male pseudonyms, and their works and discoveries were frequently credited to their male colleagues.
The National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, recognized the contributions of our women scientists by awarding them in a ceremonial setting. To further encourage the development of science, a special award named after the first female academician of Kazakhstan and Central Asia, Nailya Bazanova, was established by the National Academy of Sciences.
The meeting with women scientists was held in a hybrid format. More than 70 leading women scientists from all regions of the country participated in the event and were presented with honorary certificates by the National Academy of Sciences.