​Our future is digital and we need women to lead it​.

Today, as we mark International Girls in ICT Day, we stand at the crossroads of a pivotal era. Less than a quarter of all Ministers for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are women. Only 32 out of 165 ICT regulators are led by a woman. In the private sector, women technologists occupy less than a third of positions, where they face a 21 per cent pay gap. These are not mere statistics, but a call to action. We must prepare young women and girls to become tomorrow's visionary women leaders. 

That is why this year's theme is "Leadership". Over a decade ago, ITU launched Girls in ICT to inspire young women to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It is now a global movement and a vital platform for addressing the barriers still facing women in the tech world, especially in emerging fields ranging from artificial intelligence to quantum computing. 

Disparities impact everything. Lack of equal representation can result in flawed product and service design, bias in machine learning, exclusionary policy and decision-making. As the first woman Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in its 160-year history, I know how hard it is to break the glass ceiling. For me, leadership is more than holding a job title or position of power. It is about harnessing the power of ideas and innovation to spark transformative change. 

In a world where women still account for a disproportionate and growing share of the global offline population, gender equality is an urgent necessity. We cannot build the innovative, safe and sustainable digital future we need without half of humanity. 

I call on the international community to encourage more young women to take up STEM careers and bridge the digital divide once and for all. Let's celebrate, support and inspire our Girls in ICT today — and every day. To all young women and girls: your potential is unlimited, your ideas are powerful, and the STEM world is waiting for you.