On February 8, 2024, the lnternational Day of Women and Girls in Science, Dr. Sandrine Mubenga served on a high-level panel “Women in Science Rising: Leadership in Business and Economics” and gave a presentation.  The event was co-organized by the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT) and by member states, United Nations agencies, and intergovernmental organizations.  It took place at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York.

The theme of the 9th International Day Women and Girls In Science was to recognize the role of women and girls as agents of change and to mainstream a gender perspective in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. The panel brought together women in science leaders and experts from around the world.

I was honored to respond to the invitation of the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the United Nations (H.E. Mr. Zenon Mukongo). I advocated for peace, and I presented the advances that STEM DRC Initiative and other institutions have made to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education as founder and president of STEM DRC Initiative.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a country that is engaged in providing solutions to the energy transition and to industry 4.0. The DRC has a young population, it has the largest tropical forest on earth, and it abounds with minerals that are needed for renewable energy technology. Indeed, the DRC contains over 60% of the world reserve of cobalt, it contains coltan, gold, diamond etc. Because of the world greed for these strategic minerals, over ten (10) million Congolese, especially women and girls, are being killed. This war needs to stop.