Over a period of 7 months, from 2 May to 11 December 2024, over 2000 girls and 500 boys across the Pacific participated in activities aimed at raising awareness and building skills in ICT and STEM. In Vanuatu, more than 10 girls and 1 boy engaged in three activities, including women and girls' engineering networking sessions and two interviews with local radio stations. In Samoa, 54 girls and 9 boys participated in the Girls in ICT Samoa event, organized by the Office of the Regulator Samoa and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Samoa on 7 May 2024, featuring a high-level panel discussion with inspiring female ICT leaders, experts, and participation. In Tonga, over 51 girls and 23 boys took part in three events: a Youth ICT Symposium, an Awareness Program, and an ICT Digital Literacy Training. In the Federated States of Micronesia, more than 520 girls and 20 boys joined five cybersecurity and online safety training sessions. In Kiribati, over 600 girls attended five activities focused on basic ICT skills, Google services, cybersecurity, essential ICT tools, and relevant ICT legislation by the government of Kiribati. In Papua New Guinea, 344 girls engaged in a series of awareness talks, including Girls in ICT Day, a scholarship program related to the NICTA Girls in ICT Tertiary Scholarship for 2024, and discussions on cybersecurity and online safety. In Nauru, over 620 girls and 490 boys attended Online Safety awareness sessions organized in collaboration with the Department of ICT. Additional digital skills training was provided by CISCO, which offered sessions on data science and cybersecurity to nearly 100 participants, as well as a webinar by the Pacific Telecommunication Council, titled “From Classroom to Boardroom: Navigating Career Paths in Tech," attracting 20 participants. The virtual final event held on 6 December 2024 was attended by 92 participants.
Pacific Girls in ICT Day 2024 final event, 6 December 2024
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This year, the Pacific Girls in ICT Day launching event is planned to connect the Digital Hubs in the Pacific. Participants from the established Digital Hubs across the Pacific will be virtually joining the event.
The participants will join the Digital Hubs of the Smart Villages and Smart Islands initiative that ITU has been leading and implementing in 10 countries in the Pacific in collaboration with governments and partners. These initiatives aim to extend the benefits of digital transformation to rural and remote communities, ensuring that no one is left behind.
In collaboration with Smart Islands communities, Pacific governments, national stakeholders, UN Resident Coordinators and UN agencies in the Pacific, the Joint SDG Fund, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA, Australia), the European Union, the Asian Development Bank, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC, Japan), as well as academic and civil society partners in the Pacific, we have successfully launched Digital Hubs in the Smart Villages and Smart Islands, including: South Malekula in Vanuatu; Maprik in Papua New Guinea; Hunga, Vava'u in Tonga; Jabwor, Jaluit Atoll in Marshall Islands; Tonoas in Micronesia (FSM); Rotuma in Fiji, and Tamana in Kiribati. A digital hub will be launched in Nauru by the end of July.
OBJECTIVE
To launch Pacific Girls in ICT Day 2025 and enhance partnerships to scale out the programme in the Pacific.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
- Enhanced awareness of the Pacific Girls in ICT Day Programme,Increased commitment and interests from governments, industry, development organizations, UN agencies, and civil society in strengthening the Pacific Girls in ICT Day programme for this year.
TARGETED PARTICIPANTS
Honourable guests from UN Resident Coordinator's Office, Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Commissions, teachers, students, girls and young women, and other community members of the Smart Villages and Smart Islands in the Pacific.
