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Closing the tech gender gap – top-level panel debate in NYC
Opportunities abound,
demand is strong, salaries are high – so what’s holding
young women back from studying technology?
Geneva, 16 April 2012 – Back in the
1980s, the percentage of young women earning computer
science degrees was more than twice what it is today.
Girls are increasingly excelling at sciences, and in
many countries now make up the majority of students
earning bachelor’s degrees. But when it comes to career
choice, they’re opting for fields like medicine and
bio-tech, rather than computing and communication
systems.
As the specialized agency of the United Nations
responsible for information and communication
technologies (ICTs), ITU is championing the catalytic
role a technology career can play in creating exciting,
far-reaching opportunities for women and girls and
empowering them to meet their goals and aspirations.
We also understand the importance of encouraging more girls into the
technology field as ICT professionals to help meet projected skills gaps in this
fast-expanding sector. With ICT jobs consistently ranked among the top 20
careers with the best pay and best long-term prospects, and with the technology
sector still growing strongly in a climate of economic downturn, we believe
girls around the world should be encouraged to expand their horizons and look at
the many exciting possibilities open to them in this domain.
To propel the issue to the forefront of the political agenda worldwide, ITU
is organizing a high-level global ‘Girls in ICT Day’ panel debate, to be held in
New York City on 26 April. The event will feature a strong panel of top-level
speakers from government, UN agencies, prominent ICT companies, and of course
girls themselves.
It will also comprise a high level of interactivity from a specially-invited
audience of experts and leaders in the field, and the chance to chat to
panelists and experts after the session during an informal lunch.
Full event details and programme can be found
here.
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What:
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'Girls in ICT Day' High-Level Panel Debate
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When:
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09:30am - 12:30pm, 26 April, 2012
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Where:
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Edgar J. Kaufmann Conference Facility, Institute
of International Education, New York City
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Who:
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In
order of speaking: Michelle Bachelet,
Executive Director, UN Women;
Melanne Verveer, United States
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues;
Mignon Clyburn, FCC
Commissioner; Neelie Kroes,
VP European Commission/Commissioner, Digital
Agenda; Jasna Matić,
State Secretary for Digital Agenda, Serbia;
Emiko Iwasaki, manga
creator and WIPO prize winner 2010;
Nidhi Tandon, gender report
author; Alethea Lodge-Clarke,
Programme Manager, Public Private Partnerships,
Microsoft; Monique Morrow,
CTO Asia Pacific & Distinguished Consulting
Engineer, Cisco Systems; Juliana
Rotich, Executive Director,
Ushahidi; and special guest Joanne
O’Riordan, who will speak on how
she uses technology the limitations of Total
Amelia Syndrome. Joanne’s recent appearance on
Ireland’s Late Late Show can be viewed at:
http://bit.ly/vmx5Sd .
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Registration to attend this event is essential.
Journalists are requested to confirm their attendance to
pressreg@itu.int
by close of business Tuesday 24 April. The event can
also be viewed via live and archived webcast at:
www.itu.int/en/action/women/Pages/default.aspx.
Follow the event on Twitter at @ITU_News
(http://twitter.com/itu_news)
#GirlsinICT and through ITU’s Facebook
page at
www.itu.int/facebook.
Broadcast-quality footage of the debate will be available for download from
16:30 EST at:
http://girlsinict.org/what-girls-ict-day. Video from the event will be
available for viewing on ITU’s YouTube Channel at:
www.youtube.com/itutelecommunication
Photos from the debate will be available for download
from ITU’s Flickr site at:
www.flickr.com/photos/itupictures/
For more information please contact:
Sarah Parkes
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information, ITU
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Gary Fowlie
Head, ITU NY Liaison Office
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