Zohra Benfoughali

A trailblazing Algerian physicist who shattered barriers for women in STEM through education and advocacy.

Zohra Benfoughali (b. 1945) is a pioneering Algerian physicist and educator who revolutionized access to science education for women in North Africa. As the first female professor of physics at University of Annaba, she established the nation’s first gender-inclusive STEM scholarship program in 1978. Her research on nuclear physics applications in healthcare led to the development of radiation therapy protocols adopted by 15 African countries. Benfoughali’s advocacy for girls’ education resulted in Algeria’s 2003 law mandating equal enrollment policies in technical schools, which increased female enrollment in STEM fields from 12% to 45% by 2015 (UNESCO data).

She co-founded the African Women in Science Network, connecting over 1,200 researchers across 22 countries. Her 1990s initiative to digitize Arabic science textbooks made technical knowledge accessible to millions of non-English speakers. Benfoughali’s legacy is etched in the IUPAP Gender Equality Award (2005) and her work remains a cornerstone of UN Women’s STEM4Her campaign. By dismantling systemic barriers, she proved that gender equity in science is achievable through systemic policy changes and cultural reimagining.