Girls in ICTs: Bridging ALL Divides for an Inclusive Digital Transformation

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"Giving women equal opportunities in STEM careers helps reduce the gender wage gap, improves women's economic security, ensures a diverse and talented workforce, and prevents bias. Not only do women need the opportunities, but their communities and countries urgently require their contribution to find new solutions to the problems we face as a society.”- Maria Noel Vaeza, UN Women's Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean. Patriarchy and male privileging are oftentimes the overarching barriers regarding girls achieving their full potential. The International Day of Girls in Information and Communication Technologies is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in April to highlight the importance of girls in I.C.T. as well as to encourage more girls and young women to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. Undoubtedly, there is a disconnect between reality and what ought to happen. Sadly, in many quarters of the world, such as Afghanistan girls are barred from receiving an education. Such unjust actions remove the human rights and dignity from girls in the pursuance of their career goals. Additionally, income inequality serves as another barrier for girls. Girls from poor family backgrounds are more unlikely to afford STEM education. Teachers may unintentionally reinforce gender stereotypes by praising boys for their innate abilities while praising girls for their effort. These challenges can discourage girls from pursuing STEM, impacting their career choices and overall participation in the field. The 2025 theme, “Girls in ICTs: Bridging ALL Divides for an Inclusive Digital Transformation,” calls for equitable digital inclusion, especially for girls in vulnerable situations. Digital transformation is the process of using digital technologies to revamp business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing market demands. A highlight of the day will be an interactive intergenerational dialogue, bringing together girls, young women, women leaders, and experts in the ICT sector to engage in dynamic discussions on how to bridge the gender digital divide for a fully inclusive digital transformation. Such conversation will undoubtedly inspire current and future generations of girls and women to lead and thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world. While girls across the world tend to outperform boys in reading and writing skills, they continue to be under-represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and this is problematic. Many girls who end up with careers in STEM have had to fight against the cultural and socio-economic tides to have achieved. Clearly, governments should do more to ensure that the playing field is level for both sexes concerning access to STEM careers. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development identifies the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as opportunities that promote the construction of more inclusive and sustainable societies. The incorporation of girls and women in these areas are critical measures to reduce the gap between men and women and contribute to empowerment and gender equality. Within STEM, the most male-dominated educational areas are ICT and engineering, where female enrollment is 27% and 28% respectively (UNESCO, 2018). At the current rate, gender parity in STEM will not be achieved before 2100. Many girls avoid STEM subjects because they do not think they will be working the technology. One reason they don’t think about pursuing a technology career is they do not know of any female role models in the industry. International Girls In ICT Day History. In 2010, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), adopted Resolution 70 at the Plenipotentiary Conference in Guadalajara, Mexico. The ITU is a specialized agency of the United Nations. The Resolution called for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women through international communication technologies. On April 8, 2011, as a direct result of this Resolution, the ITU established the International Girls in ICT Day. This day has been held every fourth Thursday of the month since 2011. As with all technology jobs, this field is dominated by men. Women make up nearly half of the workforce. However, when it comes to technology, women hold only 25 percent of the jobs. Part of the reason for this is that girls are less likely than boys to study subjects related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). This important day should be viewed as more than just raising awareness regarding the gender disparity in the fields of ICT. It is imperative that the day be viewed as one to inspire and motivate the next generation of girls to pursue careers in ICT. Girls need to have more female role models in these areas in order to be inspired. Yes, some individuals are intrinsically motivated; however, there are others who are motivated extrinsically. The branches of patriarch are so dominant and subtle at times that even in instances where policymakers are women the interrogation necessary is rather tepid. Too often policymakers only give lip sersice regarding gender equality yet the practical measures required are not implemented. This is extremely vital given that one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is that of gender equality. SDG4 is a key enabler of most other SDGs. Unfortunately, global progress in education has not been fast enough. Only 58% of students worldwide achieved at least the minimum proficiency level in reading at the end of primary schooling in 2019. A significant number of countries are moving backwards in learning outcomes at the end of lower secondary school. Improvement in upper secondary completion rate has slowed since 2015. The Way Forward. There is much work to be done. Clearly, forging more partnerships is required in order to scaffold and inspire girls to pursue careers in STEM. Unfortunately, too many girls and women are held back by biases, social norms and expectations influencing the quality of the education they receive and the subjects they study. It is well established that STEM careers are the jobs of the future, driving innovation, social wellbeing, inclusive growth and sustainable development and therefore a redoubling of efforts is required to build a more inclusive education and labour force. On this the International Girls in ICT Day let us encourage girls to seek careers in STEM education. In the words of Anamika Luthra, International Girls in ICT Day is a powerful reminder that innovation thrives in diversity. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #GirlsInICTDay

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