{"id":3526,"date":"2024-06-11T12:30:28","date_gmt":"2024-06-11T11:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/?p=3526"},"modified":"2026-04-14T13:19:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T12:19:23","slug":"supporting-every-girls-digital-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/2024\/06\/11\/supporting-every-girls-digital-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting every girl&#8217;s digital future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_section et_pb_section_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_section_regular et_block_section\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_row et_pb_row_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_block_row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_column_2_3 et_pb_column et_pb_column_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_block_column\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_heading et_pb_heading_0 et_pb_bg_layout_\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_heading_container\"><h1 class=\"et_pb_module_heading\">Supporting every Girl's Digital Future<\/h1><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element dsm_text_divider dsm_text_divider_0\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm-text-divider-wrapper dsm-text-divider-align-center et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm-text-divider-before dsm-divider\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"dsm-text-divider-header et_pb_module_header\"><span>GIRLS IN ICT DAY<\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm-text-divider-after dsm-divider\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_text et_pb_text_0  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><strong>In April 2014 the girls in ICT Day was inaugurated!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Reflecting on the evolution of this debate (Girls in ICT), one is drawn to the memory of telecenters, internet cafes, and similar establishments designed to broaden access to the internet and digital devices. Research shed light on the challenges girls faced in accessing these technologies within such spaces. The dominance of boys and men in these environments created an intimidating atmosphere for any girl wishing to utilise them. This realisation underscored the importance of creating inclusive and welcoming spaces that catered to the diverse needs and experiences of all individuals, regardless of gender, thus ensuring equitable access and participation in the digital realm.<\/p>\n<p>There has been extensive discourse surrounding the \"boys' locker room\" phenomenon, wherein certain structures, both physical and digital, resembled exclusive spaces that barred entry for girls. Despite the growing utilisation of digital opportunities by girls, there remains ample room for progress on a global scale. This is crucial because fostering greater inclusion of girls in tech careers enables them to not only participate in but also shape their digital destinies as creators rather than mere consumers. By breaking down barriers and promoting equal access to technology education and resources, we empower girls to unleash their potential as innovators and leaders in the digital landscape, thereby enriching and diversifying the tech industry while ensuring a more equitable and inclusive future for all.<\/p>\n<p>This underscores the critical need for increased attention and resources directed towards the STEM movement. Structural biases manifest early on in educational environments, where societal expectations often pressure girls to suppress their intellect to conform to narrow gender stereotypes. By investing more in STEM education for girls, we not only dismantle these barriers but also empower them to actively engage in creating digital solutions for everyday challenges they encounter. This investment serves as a catalyst for fostering innovation, diversity, and inclusivity in the STEM fields, ensuring that girls can fully participate in and contribute to shaping a more equitable and digitally-driven future.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #f56200;\"><strong>As we celebrate a decade of girls in ICT commemorative day, at SPIDER we reflect on some of the projects that have brought digital to girls:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"%20     https:\/\/frontlineaids.org\/resources\/using-podcasts-to-deliver-youth-friendly-information-about-sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights-in-burundi-case-study\/\">iREADY project in Burundi<\/a> centered on addressing the needs of youth living with HIV, particularly focusing on how digital solutions could bolster their psychosocial support. Engaging closely with the young women involved in the project, a key recommendation emerged: the creation of podcasts tailored to their experiences and needs. These podcasts were designed to be easily shareable via WhatsApp and were developed in local languages for greater inclusivity and wider reach. By leveraging contextually relevant channels, the project sought to empower these youth with a platform to share their stories, access vital support, and foster community resilience in navigating the challenges posed by HIV.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the <a href=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/digital-impact\/digital-sdgs\/sdg8\/\">CASSA project in Bolivia<\/a> provided crucial support to women artisans specializing in jewelry and other Bolivian artifacts. Through targeted training sessions, these artisans were equipped with the skills to navigate e-commerce platforms, enabling them to sustain their businesses amidst global shutdowns. Upon follow-up interviews conducted by SPIDER with some of the project beneficiaries, it was revealed that they had experienced a remarkable fourfold increase in revenue, attributable to the project's intervention. This success underscores the transformative impact of empowering women entrepreneurs with digital tools and strategies, not only ensuring their economic resilience during challenging times but also unlocking new avenues for growth and prosperity in the face of adversity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>SPIDER is part of exciting projects <a href=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/project\/equals-eu\/\">EQUALS-EU<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/project\/gejusta\/\">GeJuSTA<\/a>. EQUALS-EU focuses on gender-inclusive innovation ecosystems across the EU and beyond. While GeJuSTA has a sub-Saharan focus on ensuring gender justice in STEM research careers. Both projects place girls at the core of the innovation economy. This is critical because including girls in the innovation economy is not just a matter of fairness; it's a strategic imperative for driving creativity, competitiveness, and sustainable development in a rapidly changing world.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">What are we doing to mentor and encourage the next generation of girls in ICT? I believe it is crucial to highlight more girls in ICT on this occasion. Rather than solely discussing the obstacles faced by girls in the ICT field, I advocate for amplifying the voices and experiences of those who are already active in the tech industry. Their personal journeys can offer valuable insights and inspiration, serving as catalysts for empowering future generations of girls to pursue careers in technology with confidence and determination.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">SPIDER Director, Dr Caroline Wamala Larsson<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column et_pb_column_1  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et-last-child et_block_column\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element dsm_blob_image dsm_blob_image_0\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/2023\/07\/06\/itu-lead-visits-spider-and-dsv-to-celebrate-women-in-tech\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_wrap dsm_blob_image_two dsm_blob_image_content_hover\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/B23C864E-F3E2-4DAE-A392-2CB455726D96_1_105_c.jpeg\" alt=\"\" title=\"B23C864E-F3E2-4DAE-A392-2CB455726D96_1_105_c\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/B23C864E-F3E2-4DAE-A392-2CB455726D96_1_105_c.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/B23C864E-F3E2-4DAE-A392-2CB455726D96_1_105_c-980x736.jpeg 980w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/B23C864E-F3E2-4DAE-A392-2CB455726D96_1_105_c-480x360.jpeg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_img\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"dsm_blob_title\">Launch of ITU Girls in ICT campaign 2023<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element dsm_blob_image dsm_blob_image_1\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/project\/equals-eu\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_wrap dsm_blob_image_twelve dsm_blob_image_content_hover\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Equals-EU-team.jpeg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Equals EU team\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Equals-EU-team.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Equals-EU-team-480x281.jpeg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 800px, 100vw\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_img\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"dsm_blob_title\">EU-EQUALS team<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element dsm_blob_image dsm_blob_image_2\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/2024\/03\/08\/digilearn-shows-remarkable-results-in-zambia\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_wrap dsm_blob_image_eleven dsm_blob_image_content_hover\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/outside-digitruck.png\" alt=\"Teacher coaches and project luangwa staff in front of the DigiTruck at Uyoba primary School\" title=\"outside digitruck\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/outside-digitruck.png 1080w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/outside-digitruck-980x648.png 980w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/outside-digitruck-480x317.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_img\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"dsm_blob_title\">Project Luangwa in Zambia<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element dsm_blob_image dsm_blob_image_3\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/project\/dancce\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_wrap dsm_blob_image_four dsm_blob_image_content_hover\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/UCI-training.png\" alt=\"Teacher coaches and project luangwa staff in front of the DigiTruck at Uyoba primary School\" title=\"UCI training\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_img\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"dsm_blob_title\">Cervical Cancer initiatives in Africa<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element dsm_blob_image dsm_blob_image_4\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KE6kkyY_NhQ\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_wrap dsm_blob_image_six dsm_blob_image_content_hover\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Screenshot-2024-04-24-at-09.19.53.png\" alt=\"Teacher coaches and project luangwa staff in front of the DigiTruck at Uyoba primary School\" title=\"Screenshot 2024-04-24 at 09.19.53\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Screenshot-2024-04-24-at-09.19.53.png 935w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Screenshot-2024-04-24-at-09.19.53-480x224.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 935px, 100vw\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_img\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"dsm_blob_title\">Encouraging student innovation<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element dsm_blob_image dsm_blob_image_5\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KE6kkyY_NhQ\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_wrap dsm_blob_image_two dsm_blob_image_content_hover\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Screenshot-2024-04-24-at-09.26.09.png\" alt=\"Teacher coaches and project luangwa staff in front of the DigiTruck at Uyoba primary School\" title=\"Screenshot 2024-04-24 at 09.26.09\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_img\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"dsm_blob_title\">Women manage Mekong water resources<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element dsm_blob_image dsm_blob_image_6\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/ipris.digital\/girls-in-ict-day-female-role-models-inspiring-the-next-generation-of-women-in-ict\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_wrap dsm_blob_image_nine dsm_blob_image_content_hover\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ipris-2023a-ladies.webp\" alt=\"Teacher coaches and project luangwa staff in front of the DigiTruck at Uyoba primary School\" title=\"ipris 2023a ladies\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ipris-2023a-ladies.webp 1920w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ipris-2023a-ladies-1280x853.webp 1280w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ipris-2023a-ladies-980x653.webp 980w, https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ipris-2023a-ladies-480x320.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) and (max-width: 1280px) 1280px, (min-width: 1281px) 1920px, 100vw\" class=\"dsm_blob_image_img\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"dsm_blob_overlay_text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"dsm_blob_title\">Women in ICT regulation<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_cta_0 et_pb_promo  et_pb_text_align_center et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_promo_description\"><h2 class=\"et_pb_module_header\">See our impact cinema<\/h2><div><p>Gender equity is central to our work, explore our impact cinema<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As we celebrate a decade of girls in ICT commemorative day, at SPIDER we reflect on some of the projects that have brought digital to girls:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":3466,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48,49,55,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-de","category-gender","category-news","category-updates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3526"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3526\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16656,"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3526\/revisions\/16656"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3526"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3526"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spidercenter.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}