Better education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for 26K girls in Mexico.

Mexico City, June 19, 2024. – UNICEF and BMW Group launch a seven-year alliance under the motto “BRIDGE. Educating young people for tomorrow, today." The objective is to enhance teacher training with a gender-focused approach and develop inclusive learning for STEM subjects. In just the first stage of this alliance, it is expected to benefit 26,000 girls and teenagers.

In Mexico, STEM fields are predominantly male-dominated, with only 3 out of every 10 professionals in these areas being women (IMCO, 2021), despite these careers having higher job demand and better salaries.

The alliance in our country will emphasize the education of girls and young people through the creation of "STEM ecosystems," which foster collaboration among schools, extracurricular programs, science and research institutions, higher education, the private sector, and community organizations.

In Mexico, the alliance between UNICEF and BMW Group will incentivize the creation of favorable STEM environments through collaborative efforts with state education authorities in Baja California, Chihuahua, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Nuevo Leon, and San Luis Potosí. The following actions will be undertaken, career guidance for girls and adolescents to encourage life planning projects; implementation of a mentoring network focusing on empowering and enhancing skills in girls and adolescents, and promotion of behavioral change regarding gender stereotypes.

"In Mexico, we want to see more female scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and presidents. The more girls and adolescents access these disciplines and opportunities, the greater social recognition and integration of their skills across all sectors will be. UNICEF celebrates the establishment of partnerships like this with BMW Group, which provide a solid foundation for building the Mexico of the 21st century," mentioned Fernando Carrera Castro, Representative of UNICEF Mexico, regarding this collaboration.

Harald Gottsche, President and CEO of BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí, commented, "At our company, we aim to encourage girls and teenagers to pursue STEM careers and provide them with the opportunity to envision a solid future. This alliance with UNICEF will allow us to continue contributing to improving opportunities for them through learning and development spaces. In this regard, our plant already has initiatives and educational programs such as the ProLead Meister Industrial Program in Mechatronics and the Dual Vocational Training Program, which currently has 45% female enrollment."

Additionally, Diego Camargo, CEO of BMW Group Mexico, reinforces, "We are celebrating 30 years of BMW Group in Mexico, and there is no better way to do so than by promoting education and developing Mexico's youth. The collaboration with UNICEF brings us great pride, and we hope to reach the entire country with concrete actions like this one."

The collaboration between UNICEF and BMW is planned until 2030, coinciding with the deadline for the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to which both UNICEF and BMW Group are committed. The purpose of this alliance contributes to the goal of "Quality Education," and towards the end of this joint effort, a multidimensional approach is envisioned, with transformative gender actions and a common vision across sectors.

For further information, please visit: https://www.unicef.org/the-bmw-group