United Nations' International Day of the Girl Child: My Voice, Our Equal Future

 

What's the 2021 theme?

The 2021 theme is: 'Digital generation. Our generation.' This theme is a call for equal access to the internet for girls as well as digital devices. It also supports targeted investments to facilitate opportunities for girls to safely and meaningfully access, use, design and lead technology.

For International Day of the Girl (11 October) 2021, girls from across the world are speaking up against false information online.

UN Women has said on its website girls are a "fundamental source of transformational change for gender equality, and technology is a crucial tool to support their work, activism and leadership".

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person” – Mother Teresa

"My mother always told me, ‘hide your face people are looking at you.' I would reply, ‘it does not matter; I am also looking at them.” – Malala Yousafzai

My Voice, Our Equal Future

Digital generation. Our generation.

Girls know their digital realities and the solutions they need to excel on their diverse pathways as technologists for freedom of expression, joy, and boundless potential. Let’s amplify the diversity of these tech trailblazers while simultaneously widening the pathways so that every girl, this generation of girls – regardless of race, gender, language, ability, economic status and geographic origin – lives their full potential.

In 2021 we commemorate the Generation Equality Forum (GEF), launching 5-year commitments from civil society leaders, governments, corporations and change makers from around the world for bold gender equality impacts. At the same time, we are in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has accelerated digital platforms for learning, earning and connecting, while also highlighting girls’ diverse digital realities

The gender digital divide in connectivity, devices and use, skills and jobs is real. It is an inequity and exclusion gap across geographies and generations that is our challenge to address if the digital revolution is to be for all, with all, by all. Let’s seize the momentum to drive action and accountability of GEF commitments made, for and with girls to achieve a bold vision of bridging the digital gender divide.

Ways to get involved

Share stories / blogs / videos of inspiring adolescent girls who are tech trailblazers while collectively amplifying our call to action to expand these pathways for every girl, everywhere.

Amplify your GEF and other commitments to address the gender digital divide experienced by today’s generation of girls, illustrating that we must take a strong generational gender lens to the digital divide if we are to achieve meaningful and sustainable change for a digital revolution by, with and for all.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/girl-child-day

Photos Courtesy of Dreamtime httpshttps://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/computer-kid-africa.html