Background decorative image

Livestreamed from Kyrgyzstan and Mauritania, International Girls in ICT Day 2025 inspires the next generation of women in tech

More than 2,500 participants joined the global celebration of International Girls in ICT Day on 24 April, held under the theme ‘Girls in ICT for inclusive digital transformation.’

This year’s celebration marked a historic first: it was jointly hosted in two ITU regions – the Arab States and the Commonwealth of Independent States – with simultaneous in-person events in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and Nouakchott, Mauritania.

The events were livestreamed to the world as one global celebration, highlighting the shared commitment to inclusivity and cross-regional collaboration. Expert panellists focused their discussions on guiding girls and young women to become leaders in ICT, as developers, regulators, and entrepreneurs, building the capacity and mindset needed to contribute meaningfully to an inclusive digital future.

Girls and young women from multiple countries joined the event online or in person, with some sharing how tailored mentorship and digital skills training had brought them educational and professional opportunities in the digital sector.

Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, noted that since ITU launched this initiative in 2011 to encourage girls and young women to pursue careers in ICT, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, more than 417,000 girls and young women have taken part in over 11,590 celebrations in 175 countries.

“What began as a small event in Geneva has become a global celebration, marked at community, national, and global levels by governments and stakeholders worldwide,” he said.

Dr Zavazava was joined at the opening by Ms. Rakhat Zhusumambetova, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Innovative Technologies of the Kyrgyz Republic; Mr Khaled Abidine Sidi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Modernization of Mauritania (on behalf of Minister Ahmed Sale Bede); and Ms Lila Pieters Yahia, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mauritania.

An intergenerational dialogue followed, focused on ways to bridge the gender digital divide and ensure that digital transformation includes everyone. The session brought together panellists from the six ITU regions. Among the participants were government officials, women in tech, national youth representatives – including Generation Connect Youth Envoys – and girls and young women.

A dialogue with role models finished off the session; participants heard inspiring stories from women in digital fields about career pathways, overcoming challenges, and the skills needed to thrive in the digital world.

About International Girls in ICT Day

Since 8 April 2011, the ITU has celebrated Girls in ICT Day annually on the fourth Thursday in April. This initiative promotes information and communication technologies (ICT) to young women and girls and encourages them to pursue careers in the field. Established through Resolution 70 at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in 2010, the event highlights the importance of empowering all girls and women through ICT for their educational and socio-economic development.

This is an ITU Development #DigitalImpactUnlocked story