Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
This is an important moment in the history of ITU – because today we are celebrating the very first edition of the GEM-Tech Awards.
These awards recognize excellence, and they recognize outstanding performers and role models in Gender Equality and Mainstreaming in ICTs.
We received 360 nominations from over 70 countries around the world, representing all regions, and coming from the public and private sectors as well as individuals from across the globe.
And I have to say that choosing the winners was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do, in my eight years as Secretary-General – because all of the entries we received were fantastic!
If we could, we really should be giving out 360 prizes – because each and every one of these nominees has done work that is setting new standards for the ICT sector.
So it was really tough to choose just 37 finalists – and even harder to pick the winners for each of the seven categories.
In addition to these, we created a special category of Award for GEM-Tech Global Achievers, to honour exceptional individuals and initiatives.
Distinguished delegates,
As you know, gender equality is very close to my heart, and I passionately believe that women and men should have equal opportunities to prove their merit.
To this end, one of my first actions as Secretary-General was to remove a single, discriminatory word from the ITU job vacancy announcements – and that word was ‘continuous’.
Because up until then, we asked for ‘x’ years of ‘continuous experience’ – and that’s discriminatory to women, who may have taken time off to have a child, before coming back to work.
So we removed the word ‘continuous’ from the job requirements, and I’m proud of that.
I was also really pleased to see two highly competent women running for the Deputy Secretary General position.
And I was even more pleased to see that yesterday the two women candidates for the Radio Regulations Board – Joanne Wilson from the United States and Lilian Jeanty from the Netherlands – both won their seats.
So we are now back up to having two women on the RRB, and that’s a good thing – and I’m sure we will do even better next time.
But this is not enough, of course!
So let me say right here and right now, that I really hope that administrations next time around will put forward many more women for elected office at ITU – and that many more women come as delegates, too.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is almost 20 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – so where do we stand today with reference to Gender Equality and Mainstreaming?
One answer lies in the gender digital divide.
ITU estimates that some 200 million fewer women are online compared to men.
Women are coming online later, and more slowly.
And without remedial action, it is estimated that the internet gender gap could grow to 350 million within three or four years.
Equality in access to broadband is not only an issue of right and wrong; it also makes commercial and economic sense. And this is why the Broadband Commission for Digital Development set a fifth advocacy target on achieving equality in broadband access by 2020.
This is the time to get women to the tables where the decisions are being made – and we had an enriching debate on this subject during the GEM-Tech breakfast last week, with women ministers who are real role models and setting us a great example.
Let me also encourage as many of you as possible to join us for the GEM-Tech High-Level Dialogue, which is being held at 12.30 today in Room D, and which will give you an opportunity to interact with and hear more from the winners.
Before I close, and we move on to the Awards themselves, let me pass on a special message of congratulations to the winners from Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of UN Women, our partner in creating the GEM-Tech Awards.
She could not be with us today, but very much wanted me to pass on her congratulations to all the winners, as well as the runners up.
Let me also thank the Partners of the GEM-Tech Awards 2014 for their tremendous generosity and commitment.
The Gold Partners are Oman, Rwanda and Switzerland, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Silver Partners are Cisco and Facebook.
On behalf of ITU and UN Women, I thank you all for your dedication and support!
Ladies and gentlemen,
In a few minutes the suspense will be over and the winners of this prestigious award will be in front of you.
Let us therefore recognize and honour the tireless and outstanding efforts of the winners!
Thank you.
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