Using UIS data, I developed a regional analysis on gender disparities in science for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2019. The piece examined female participation in tertiary education and research careers across Asia-Pacific, tracked progress over time, and explored whether higher national investment in research and development translated into stronger female representation in science. The analysis showed that, despite some progress, women remained markedly underrepresented among researchers in many countries, especially in engineering and technology, and that high research expenditure alone did not resolve the gap. UNESCO Bangkok later disseminated the findings as a public-facing factsheet.