Blog By Shaleen Wanjiru, SI Representative to the UN in Nairobi.

From 9 to 13 April 2025, the United Nations Office in Nairobi hosted the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Science Week 2025 — a landmark global gathering of scientists, policymakers, Indigenous leaders, farmers, civil society actors, and youth advocates. The theme, “Transforming Food, Land, and Water Systems in a Climate Crisis,” could not have been more timely.

As a Youth Representative to the UN for Soroptimist International (SI), I was proud to engage in these conversations. But I also carried with me the stories, struggles, and solutions of young women who are too often excluded from such global dialogues. My presence at Science Week was not just about participation—it was about representation, transformation, and justice.

Science Week brought forward powerful innovations—from Artificial Intelligence in AgriTech to nature-based solutions, regenerative agriculture, and adaptation for climate-vulnerable communities. Yet, one theme emerged strongly:

Science that excludes women and youth—particularly from the Global South—is incomplete.

While youth engagement was visible in panels and showcases, our role in policy decision-making, resource allocation, and system design still feels peripheral. We must move beyond symbolic gestures to structural inclusion.

It is vital we champion the rights of women and girls to access education, lead climate solutions, and influence global processes. These goals are not parallel to science—they are essential to it.

Several discussions during the week emphasised the importance of gender-disaggregated data, local knowledge systems, and the urgent need for inclusive climate finance.

Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, highlighted the interconnected challenges:
“The discussions underscored the role of science, technology, and partnerships in transforming food systems for a more sustainable and equitable future.”

However, the transition from discussion to action remains slow; currently, we know that:

• Women in rural and Indigenous communities face systemic barriers to land rights, finance, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths training.
• Girls’ access to education and digital tools is key to building a just, sustainable future.
• Youth leadership, particularly among young women, is not optional—it is critical.
• Science cannot remain neutral in the face of injustice. It must be a force for equity, not just efficiency.

The future isn’t far off—it’s already being built, day by day, by young changemakers across the globe. What we need is for global science and diplomacy to catch up—to see us not as recipients of knowledge, but as co-creators of a just and sustainable world.

CGIAR Science Week showed us the possibilities. Now, let us be bold enough to build with justice, care, and courage at the centre of all innovation.