Four World Pulse Members Speak Out this Girls in ICT Day

We're celebrating women leaders who are bringing digital skills to girls in their communities. 

This week is International Girls in ICT Day, an annual event that aims to encourage and empower girls to pursue careers in information and communication technology (ICT) and to help bridge the digital gender divide.

On World Pulse, we see the life-changing power of technology every time we log on. We know that when women and girls have access to digital tools, the change that we create reaches even further. 

By supporting and encouraging young women and girls to pursue careers in ICT, we can help to ensure that they have equal opportunities to succeed and create change in their communities.

The Girls in ICT 2023 theme is “Digital Skills for Life.” Here are four World Pulse members who are ensuring girls have the necessary skills, confidence, and support to pursue a future in ICT.

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, she teaches a rising generation of women digital skills.

An aspiring politician, Esther Atosha dreams of writing a new story for her country at the decision-making table. She serves as a representative of Young Women Leaders/SK, a program that helps young women and girls gain the digital skills and confidence to become leaders in communities experiencing conflict and crisis. "In a generation migrating from slate to keyboard, we must deploy the mechanisms for sensitizing women and girls to the digital world,” Esther says.

This Technovation mentor in Romania helps girls of all ages to develop their tech skills and gain real-world experience.

An activist, trainer, and consultant, Teo Akinola says girls need role models and mentors who can show them that they belong in the tech industry and that they have the potential to be successful. “Why is it so important to have girls participate in technology?” she says. “For starters, diversity leads to innovation. When diverse perspectives are brought to the table, new and unique ideas are generated, and this is essential for the growth and evolution of the tech industry.”

In Nigeria, this computer scientist and entrepreneur designed Usbin IT Concept to attract more women and girls into studying IT.

Binta Usman noticed how structural barriers in Kwara state deterred women and girls from pursuing opportunities in ICT. She realized the easiest way to solve the technology gender gap was by designing a program that targeted girls: a hands-on ICT empowerment training. “As interactions between governments and society continue to rely more on information and communication technologies ICT, it becomes crucial that the voices of women and girls are represented in the digital world,” Binta says.

This Bangladeshi engineer was the only woman in her class. Now she’s training girls in computer skills, cybersecurity, and job readiness.

Since she founded Women in Digital and Lumina Development in 2013, Achia Nila has trained more than 11,750 Bangladeshi women and girls in tech and connected more than 7,000 to work opportunities. “After being the only girl in the class, seeing thousands of girls represented in tech is powerful,” she says. “Thousands of the women and girls we have trained have significantly changed deep-rooted social and gender norms in Bangladesh.”

Get Involved

On World Pulse, you can connect with each of these leaders and thousands of others who are using tech for good. Head to their profiles and click "Follow" to be sure you never miss an update. And be sure to comment on this story to tell us what Girls in ICT Day means to you.