Today, ICTs are one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, offering tremendous opportunities for innovation, creativity, and social impact. However, girls and women are still underrepresented and face multiple barriers in pursuing STEM careers. To illustrate the opportunities and barriers for girls in ICT, we will use the story of Saadat Amanbekova, a 21-year-old girl from Kyrgyzstan who is studying IT courses in design, as a case study.
Saadat's motivation and interest in IT courses
She lives in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, and works in aviation. She recently graduated from university in air management, and decided to enroll in IT courses to improve her skills and career prospects. She chose design as her preferred direction, as she finds it the most interesting and creative.
Her observation reflects the global trend of gender segregation in STEM fields, where women tend to be more concentrated in life sciences and social sciences, while men dominate in engineering, computer science, and physics. Despite the challenges, Saadat is determined to succeed in her studies and work. She likes the fact that IT allows her to work from home and earn money, which gives her more flexibility and freedom. "I like the fact that in IT it is possible to work from home, that is, even being on maternity leave, I will be able to earn money with this freedom and I like it," she says.
Saadat's challenges and aspirations in ICT
However, she says that there are still stereotypes in the Kyrgyz society, where men are more trusted and respected than women. "Passengers would trust men pilot more than women pilot. It seems to me that it is necessary to cause a big impact to make people change their opinion," she says.
Therefore, she has some suggestions for improving girls' access and participation in ICT, such as introducing IT in schools, making IT courses in Kyrgyz language, and organizing master classes and forums in the remote areas of country. She says that these initiatives would help to attract attention, and to overcome the language and cultural barriers that prevent girls from pursuing ICT. "If we introduce IT in schools from the 5th grade and in the universities, then I think it will be possible to attract children's attention. I also think another factor of underrepresentation in IT is lack of courses and programmes in Kyrgyz language," she says.
Saadat's story shows the potential and resilience of girls and women in ICT, and the need for more support and action to empower them and ensure they have the skills, confidence, and opportunities to achieve their goals.
Conclusion
Today, on International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the achievements and aspirations of girls and women in ICT, and we call for more actions to empower them and ensure they have the skills, and support to achieve their goals. ICTs are not only a tool for personal and professional development, but also a means to create positive social change and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
