Celebrating Women in STEM: A Recap of the 2025 Women in Science, Technology, and Innovation Conference

The 2025 International Women’s Day theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”, set the tone for this year’s Women in Science, Technology, and Innovation Conference in Zimbabwe. Held from March 19–21 at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), the event empowered, mentored, and celebrated women in STEM.

Day 1: Empower Me focused on equipping women with skills to thrive in STEM. Experts shared insights on innovations, in-demand competencies, and navigating the evolving STEM landscape.

Day 2: Mentor Me connected high school and college students with professionals through one-on-one mentoring. Academic institutions showcased research, while attendees explored exhibitions and networking opportunities, gaining career guidance across STEM fields.

Day 3: Celebrate Me honored female trailblazers at an awards dinner, recognizing innovators, entrepreneurs, and academics for their contributions.

A personal highlight was meeting HeForShe Chairperson, Canadian Ambassador Adler Aristilde, and discussing men’s role in supporting women in STEM. High-level panels emphasized visibility for women-led innovations and mentorship networks. Inspiring “Real Talk” sessions with leaders like Dr. Divine Ndhlukula and Engineer Joy Makumbe left attendees motivated and ready to drive change.

The conference reinforced the power of collaboration, mentorship, and recognition in advancing gender equality in STEM—an unforgettable call to action for empowerment and innovation.