Women’s empowerment is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals means progress for all women, everywhere.
The ICT sector presents tremendous opportunities for women. It’s slated to become a very big chunk of the job market, with an estimated 90 per cent of jobs soon requiring ICT skills. But for women to seize these opportunities equally as men, we have to tackle the gender stereotypes and biases that prevent them from pursuing or making it big in STEM-related fields.
We all have a role to play in ensuring that girls can access the skills and training needed to adapt to the challenges and opportunities that technology brings, so that the future of work is rooted in gender equality, and economic opportunities, arrangements and protections that work for all people.
Breaking the stereotypes and creating meaningful access to ICTs for girls and women must start early. I believe that Google Local Guides can be a great platform for promoting Girls in ICT and STEM.
Technology is the future. Every girl and every woman has huge potential. Why not learn about technology if they want to? In the end, we are all equal.