Yemi Keri, managing director, Edo State ICT Agency and Ufuoma Emuophedaro, editor-in-chief and convener, Girls in ICT (Nigeria), joined Dr. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology and other leading voices in canvassing for more female information communication technology (ICT) professionals participation in developing the industry.

Every year on the fourth Thursday in April, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the global technology community celebrate ‘Girls in ICT Day’, an awareness-raising initiative designed to promote tech careers and studies to a new generation of girls and young women.

International Girls in ICT Day is an opportunity for girls and young women to get an insight into ICT sector to consider ICT careers through open days at ICT institutions, meeting women role models, and even getting “hands on” experience in technology

At the fourth edition of the event organised by e-Business Life Communication Limited in Nigeria sponsored by MTN, MainOne, Vodacom, Huawei, Phase3 Telecoms, Smile Communications, successful women in ICT like Lynda Saint Nwafor, CTO, MTN Nigeria, Obafunke Atanda, senior manager, Product Portfolio, Vodacom Business Nigeria, Atsagbaede Joyce, CEO, Austangel Nigeria Ltd., while Dr. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology was represented by Efem Nkanga, her special (media) adviser, were on ground to inspire girls from both public and private schools in Lagos. 

Dr. (Mrs.) Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, called for the removal of barriers before women and girls in embracing Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Johnson said she strongly believes that ICT is an enabler with the significant potential to transform the lives of women and girls.

The Minister who was represented by her Special (Media) Adviser, Mrs. Efem Nkanga, described ICTs as powerful transformative tools that foster development and advancement of developing and advanced economies.

According to her, it is not just a useful tool for bridging the digital divide, but also a tool for enabling inclusive development at all levels.

While addressing the participants, Keri reminded them that the event to encourage the girls to be discreet in choosing careers in ICT hence the industry drives other sectors of the global economy, adding that government must not relent in leading courses that will spur women interests in the sector.

She said, “Apart from enlightening the participants on the why they should make career choices based on ICT related field, ICT remains the hope of the world economy; there, you will make money, create jobs, develop application to save human lives, the environment and add value in every facet of human existence”.

To other who have chosen career in fields outside ICT, Keri noted that “No matter whatever career you found yourself, technology is already playing key role there. If you are to select electives to complete your subjects, do not shy away from ICT related ones. If you look around the world today, the level of interactions, information shared in today’s world is powered by the ICT”.

She reminded the girls that they have capabilities to surpass the achievements of current leading women in ICT as technology is evolving daily.

On her part, Ufuoma Emuophedaro, editor-in-chief and convener, Girls in ICT (Nigeria), said it was regrettable researching findings which showed that “in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, female students now account for fewer than 20% of tertiary ICT enrolments, down from nearly 40% back in the 1980s, when computer science courses first appeared on university curricula. Only around 3% of total female graduates study ICT fields, compared with around 10% of male graduates”.

Emuophedaro said that the academic gender gap is reflected in the number of female ICT professionals, now estimated at just 20% across the OECD.

“In Europe, only 9% of app developers are female, only 19% of European ICT managers are women (compared with 45% women managers in other service sectors), and only 19% of ICT entrepreneurs are women (compared with 54% women in other service sectors), according to figures released by the European Commission”.

She said that with strong backing from the tech sector and national governments, ‘Girls in ICT Day’ has rapidly grown into a global movement, with an estimated 3,500 events organized in over 140 countries, reaching 111,000 girls, since the event became a fixture on the UN calendar five years ago.

ITU expects events in even more countries, reaching even more girls, this year, and will post information about activities around the world on its Girls in ICT Portal.

“ICTs are an exciting and rapidly-growing field, offering interesting, important and well-paid job opportunities,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “A career in ICT allows girls to use their creativity, work in international environments, and participate in shaping our future. With 95% of all jobs now having a digital component, digital skills are no longer just an advantage, they’re essential.”

“At ITU headquarters, Emuophedaro confirmed, “Girls in ICT Day celebrations are this year focused around an event for around 115 Geneva school girls, along with a High-Level Panel debate featuring guest speakers including Maria Klawe of Harvey Mudd College in the US, which has achieved exceptional results in increasing female enrolment in tech studies (intervention by video), Telle Whitney, President & CEO of the Anita Borg Institute, and Judith Owigar, co-founder & President of AkiraChix in Kenya”.

In addition, five special guest schoolgirls, sponsored by the US Mission (Geneva) and YWCA, and representing Chile, Myanmar, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea and South Africa, will be joining local schoolgirls for the day’s activities.

Key partners this year include the Novartis Foundation (Principal Sponsor), Lego Education (Content Partner), and the governments of Finland, Poland and the United States.

ITU Regional Offices around the world are also actively promoting Girls in ICT Day 2015, organizing events, partnering with other UN agencies, supporting organizers in their respective regions and hosting competitions.

Cisco, a major backer of Girls in ICT Day, is organizing events in more than 50 countries, aiming to reach over 3,000 girls, while Microsoft, a long-time advocate of ICT training through its DigiGirlz programme, is launching its annual Pink Cloud girls in ICT event on April 23rd as part of Milan’s World Expo. In ITU’s home country of Switzerland, ICT regulator OFCOM is organizing its first event at its headquarters in Biel-Bienne, also on April 23rd.

“I invite national governments to consider integrating basic coding skills into their national education curricula, alongside basics like reading, writing and arithmetic,” said Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, which organizes the annual event. “Girls and young women who learn coding, apps development and computer science will have powerful tools at their disposal to drive economic prosperity for themselves, and overall socio-economic development for their communities.”