Girls are leaders. Girls are change-makers. Girls are driving good and growth around the world. They are a fundamental source of transformational change for gender equality, and technology is a crucial tool to support their work, activism and leadership ( UN Women 2021).
Every year on the 11th of October, we celebrate the The International Day of the Girl Child. This year’s theme is “Digital generation. Our generation”.
The world is driven by technological innovation and it is important that the Girl Child is not left behind. Traditionally, girls are discouraged from taking up subjects in STEM because they are groomed from the cradle to end up as just wives and mothers.
According to a report by Martin Luenendonk, women hold only 25% of all the jobs in the tech industry, 83% of boys in secondary school opt for STEM subjects, while only 64% of girls opt for STEM subjects. This disparity is also evident in the University, whereby 52% of males take STEM related courses, in contrast to only 30% females. He went to to explain that, females do not consider a tech career because it is not being put forward as one of the options they can take, this is to further buttress the stereotype that the tech industry is a man’s world.
We are joining hands with other organizations and civil societies to call for the proper education of female students about tech and its role in shaping the world. We are also engaging in ways to completely eradicate the stereotype that portrays tech as a career for only males; and ensuring that girls are exposed to more dialogues on careers in STEM and why they should be part of the train of Technology.
#InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild
#DigitalGenerationOurGeneration
#techgirls
#Girlsfortech
#UNWomen
#girlpower
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