As transformative technologies like Artificial Intelligence reshape the global economy, millions of women and girls are still excluded from the digital world. This exclusion not only denies them access to opportunities but also the ability to shape their own futures.
Closing this digital gender gap is urgent. In 2024, there were 189 million fewer women than men online. The issue goes beyond access and reflects deeper systemic barriers, as highlighted by Doreen Bogdan-Martin, head of the UN’s telecommunications agency, ITU. “That’s too many missed opportunities to learn, to earn, and to shape our shared digital future,” she said.
She emphasized that access to connectivity alone is insufficient for real digital transformation. “It must be meaningful—affording devices and services, providing the necessary skills, and ensuring safety online. Everyone deserves the chance to thrive in an increasingly digital world.”
This year’s International Girls in ICT Day, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of April, focuses on encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Since its launch in 2011, over 417,000 girls and young women have participated in more than 11,500 celebrations across 175 countries.
The theme for 2025 is Girls in ICT for Inclusive Digital Transformation, calling for more investment in girls’ digital education and expanded access to technology. The ITU stresses the need for more young women to become creators in the digital world, not just consumers.
“Whether you’re an entrepreneur launching an AI startup, a teacher integrating digital skills into your classroom, or a policymaker shaping our shared digital future, you can help ensure that every woman and girl has the chance to connect, create, and lead in digital spaces,” Ms. Bogdan-Martin emphasized.
The 2025 global observance will be co-hosted by the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and countries from the Arab region, with a hybrid live-streamed event connecting Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and Nouakchott, Mauritania. The event will feature an intergenerational dialogue with girls, women leaders, and ICT experts discussing strategies to close the digital gender gap.
Worldwide, events are being organized, including Girls in ICT in the Solomon Islands, the Melon Girls Club in North Macedonia, and STEM Supergirls in Croatia.
This global call to action stresses the importance of providing equal access to digital learning and ensuring the safety and security of girls and women online, empowering them to participate fully in the digital age.
Related Topics
