International Girls in ICT Day 2021

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of International Girls in ICT Day with the theme “Connected Girls; Creating Brighter Futures.” Traditionally celebrated on the fourth Thursday of April, the Girls in ICT celebrations for this special year will highlight the 10 moments in the life of young girls bringing into focus some of the key stakeholders and industries responsible for promoting girls in the field of technology. The session held on 22 April will represent the 3rd of the 10 moments: Dialogue and Conversation.
This session will be available in all six UN official languages with live captioning.
Introduction & Background
While girls across the world tend to outperform boys in reading and writing skills, they continue to be under-represented amongst top performers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). With more support towards education and skills training, let us encourage more girls and young women to actively pursue careers in STEM to bridge the gender digital divide. This panel represents the 3rd moment of this year’s programming; Dialogue and Conversation.
The panel will comprise of different agencies, international organizations, member states, civil society, academia, and the private sector. The session will address the topics highlighted in the blueprint of the Action Coalition on Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality of the Generation Equality Forum while highlighting the RASIT Girls in Science for SDGs International Platform, in an effort to create a comprehensive dialogue around the mission of empowering Girls in ICT. The panel is organized by ITU, the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT), and OsloMet; and supported by Generation Equality.
The session will answer the following questions:
- How can we ensure inclusive, equal access and use of ICTs for girls?
- What types of partnerships or global cooperation efforts must be developed/scaled?
- What concrete measures need to be taken therein?
This event will be highly interactive, with three mini dialogues addressing the needs of girls in ICT. Interpretation will be available in the six UN languages.
This session will be hosted by ITU and moderated by Ms. Doreen Bogdan Martin (Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau) and Ms. Salma Alrowaie, Communication and ICT Officer, Girls in Science 4 SDGs International Platform.