Science, technology and innovation (STI) play a pivotal role in poverty eradication and sustainable development. Yet, tapping into the benefits of STI can only be achieved by creating robust STI systems and appropriate policy frameworks.

To address present-day challenges, countries need to reorient their STI policies to adopt holistic frameworks, and strategically link integral parts of their national development policies and plans to other sectoral policies such as education, industry, health, etc.

UNESCO’s initiatives and activities aim to cooperate with countries to develop and upgrade their national STI systems. Taking into account country-specific contexts and nurturing solid science-policy-society interfaces, UNESCO works to strengthen STI policy development that benefits society as a whole – socially, economically and environmentally. All UNESCO’s work in STI policy pays special attention to promoting gender equality in STI.