UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

10/16/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/17/2024 10:11

UNESCO and Beijing Normal University launch new initiative to empower girls with digital skills in Africa

For example, in six countries in West and Central Africa, women account for less than 15 per cent of engineering and technology researchers. In countries like Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Gambia, for every 100 young men with spreadsheet skills, there are fewer than half as many young women with the same abilities. This disparity limits the opportunities available to women in the fast-growing digital economy and reflects broader systemic challenges in access to education and technology for girls.

In response, UNESCO, in collaboration with Beijing Normal University (BNU), has launched a project entitled "Closing the digital divide: Ensuring gender-transformative digital skills education for women and girls". Launched at UNESCO's celebration of the 2024 International Day of the Girl under the theme "Girls' vision of the future", UNESCO and BNU hope this cooperation will expand girls' opportunities in an increasingly digitalized world.

Spotlight on Ghana and Tanzania

The new project focuses on equipping girls in Ghana and Tanzania with essential digital skills, through teacher capacity development, increased access by girls to role models and mentors, and advocacy to build awareness of the importance girls' digital skills and participation in ICT-related studies and careers.

The project builds on the call by H.E. Ms Peng Liyuan, First Lady of the People's Republic of China and UNESCO Special Envoy for the Advancement of Girls' and Women's Education, to promote digital and health education for women and girls. With funding support from BNU, the project will also leverage the university's expertise in teacher education and contribute to sustainable, gender-transformative digital learning environments in Africa. The hope is that the project will ignite girls' passion and boost their confidence in STEM fields and technology.

Empowering girls to become agents of change

Speaking at the official launch on 16 October, Ms Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education of UNESCO, highlighted the significance of the initiative in addressing gender disparities in the tech industry by empowering girls to become agents of change and champion the ethical use of emerging technologies.

"Our aim is not just to inspire careers in technology but also foster in girls the skills to think critically and make informed decisions about their lives," said Ms Giannini.

Ms Yu Jihong, President of Beijing Normal University, emphasized the collaborative efforts needed to achieve these goals.

"We hope to offer our expertise in teacher capacity development, combined with the local knowledge and experiences from our teachers and students in the project countries," she said.