As the world marks 2024 International Girls in ICT Day, the management and staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) join the global Information and Communcations Technology community in wishing all girls a happy International Girls in ICT Day!
International Girls in ICT Day is celebrated every year on the last Thursday of April. The theme for the Girls in ICT Day celebrations is “Leadership.”.
The Nigerian telecoms sector regulatory commission noted the day is set aside “to underscore the critical need for strong female role models in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers.”
Likewise, in its message to all girls in ICT on the day, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), observed that although women now fill 40 percent of high-skill occupations globally, their participation in ICT-related fields “continues to be low.”
Bogdan-Martin said: “Women are nearly absent from software development, engineering, technology research, academia, as well as at the highest levels of policymaking.
“They also tend to leave science and technology jobs at higher rates than men.”
It further asserted that while there is a leadership gender gap in every industry, the largest gaps are found in the STEM fields.
“Women in ICT often find themselves in junior or support roles rather than in managerial roles, with little opportunity for advancement.
“They are also less likely to hold an executive position, become ICT entrepreneurs, or be represented among science and technology policymakers,” noted the Secretary-General.
However, to thrive in STEM, the ITU said, “girls and young women must be exposed to women in leadership positions, fostering inspiration and breaking down barriers that hinder their progress.”
The Girls in ICT Day 2024 theme aims to address these challenges, encouraging empowerment and leadership development for a more equitable future in STEM, the Union said.
The Secretary-General of ITU added, “We can all help defy the stereotypes and biases that continue to prevent women and girls from pursuing careers in Information and Communications Technology.”