In September 2024, at the Summit of the Future, all 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted the action-oriented Pact for the Future. The Pact underscores that science is instrumental for the three pillars of the United Nations – sustainable development, peace and security, and human rights. Recognizing the potential for science to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Pact supports policies toward open science and open innovation to help bridge science gaps especially in developing countries.

Despite these significant commitments, billions of people – especially in developing countries – still lack meaningful access to participate in and benefit from critical scientific knowledge, research infrastructure, and emerging technologies. Open science and open scholarship provide a transformative pathway to reverse these trends, fostering multilateral cooperation, responsible innovation, and the equitable dissemination of knowledge. As stated in the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, we must ensure “reciprocal access to science for all producers and consumers of knowledge regardless of their location, nationality, race, age, gender, income, socio-economic circumstance, career stage, discipline, language, religion, disability, ethnicity, migratory status or any other grounds”. More: