The Tribune

YOUNG women around the world are being encouraged to consider careers in the growing field of information and communication technologies (ICT) and to overcome the gender divide in the sector.

In observance of the recent International Girls in ICT Day countries invited girls and university students to spend the day at the offices of information and communication technologies companies and government agencies so they could better understand the opportunities the sector holds for their future.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), of which the Bahamas is a member, themed the initiative “Expand Horizons, Change Attitudes”.

In most countries women and girls are under-represented in the ICT sector. According to a European Commission report, only 30 per cent of the 7 million people working in the sector are women and they are under-represented at all levels, especially in decision-making positions.

The Bahamas Government has committed to transform schools into strong technological centres, utilising an ICT sub-component. Over the past 18 months, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has invested over $4m on technology and computer laboratories in public schools. Emphasis has been placed on the inclusion of technology, such as the interactive white board and response systems and the multi-media projectors and laptops.

The programme, which is funded by a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank, was started under the INSPIRE (Investing in Students and Programmes for the Innovative Reform of Education) Project, formally called the SPTET Project (Support Programme for Transforming Education and Training).

A report from the United Nations Development Fund for Women on gender and ICTs acknowledged the potential of the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, but conceded that a “gender divide” had been identified and reflected in the lower numbers of women accessing and using ICTs compared with men. The report cautioned that “unless this gender divide is specifically addressed there is a risk that ICTs may increase existing inequalities”.

The Bureau of Women’s Affairs, Ministry of Social Services and Community Development in the Bahamas is mandated to monitor, evaluate and report on the implementation of international agreements adopted by the government that impact women, including the Millennium Development Goals.

In that member states should “in cooperation with the private sector make available benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications”.