Competitions can help girls see ICTs in a whole new light and engage them in hands on activities. There are a number of possible types of contests to organize for Girls in ICT Day, based on the age group targeted, among other things. Girls' creative side was sparked, for example, in Gambia, where girls designed logos for a competition organized by the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure. In Thailand, the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific held an e-poster competition, in which participants were challenged to think how to convince girls to get into ICT related courses and tech jobs, and how to change the male dominated image of the ICT sector. In Brunei, girls got business-savvy by competing in pitching ideas for a new mobile app at an event organized by the Authority of Info-communications Technology Industry. Other examples include contests on the presentations girls 9 prepare during the event, quizzes testing how well girls learned the day's topics and essay/blog contests about ICT related topic. When planning the contest, try to design it in a way that does not exclude girls with less or no experience with technology. It is also a good idea to challenge girls to think about how to tackle social or environmental issues with ICTs showing them that technology can help you make a difference. And don't forget about the prizes! Reach out to sponsors and use the opportunity to equip a girl with a tech device that might help her get into ICTs. In Girls in ICT Day events around the world, girls have been awarded with mobile phones, smart phones, tablets, laptops, laptop bags, and many other technology related items.
