In developing countries like Bangladesh, providing quality primary and secondary education for girls is essential to bringing more women into science. Hasina Akhter suggests ways that teachers, parents and governments can help correct the gender gap.

Educating girls and women can bring enormous social, economic and political benefits to developing countries. Dr. Habiba Bouhammed Chabouni, a Tunisian doctor, researcher and For Women In Science Laureate, takes on the traditional attitudes that discourage ''too much'' education for women.

Girls, don’t let anyone tell you science is only for boys! The future is full of challenges, and science needs the special talents of women to help us meet those challenges head-on.

Higher Education is another of the themes highlighted by UNESCO as part of its 60th anniversary year. To mark the occasion, Dr. Joan Steitz of Yale University writes of her personal experience as a student and her firm belief that female role models are vital to repairing the “leaky pipeline” that robs science of women with potential.

It’s not only about making brilliant discoveries. The lives of girls and women in developing countries would be tremendously improved by even an elementary knowledge of science. Some useful, brass- tacks examples of what basic science education could accomplish!

Developing countries must train more scientists if they are to compete in a globalized economy. Nations such as Nigeria cannot afford to waste human potential, male or female, yet girls and women in that country are faced with a daunting array of internal and external obstacles to careers in science. In her enlightening article, Dr. Adeynika Falusi clearly outlines the psychological, cultural and economic barriers that keep Nigerian women away from the sciences and proposes solutions to right the gender balance.

The world represented by UNESCO and L’Oreal must embark on new projects to reform education for girls in schools and universities and to develop support programs for women scientists, especially in the third world countries.

“Boys like snakes, and snails And puppy dog tails. Girls like sugar and spice And everything nice.” It might be time to give that old nursery rhyme a rest! If girls are to develop an interest in science at an early age, maybe we have to encourage them to “get their hands dirty,” to explore nature and the natural world the way we’ve always encouraged boys to do.

“Book learning” is not the only kind of education women need if they are to become successful scientists. Too often, life after university has a few unpleasant surprises in store.