​​​​Background​

International Girls in ICT Day is celebrated worldwide every year on the fourth Thursday of April. Girls in ICT Day provides an opportunity for girls and young women to understand the benefits of ICT in enabling their careers and aspirations. Since it was established in 2011, over 377,000 girls and young women have participated in more than 11,400 International Girls in ICT Day celebrations in 171 countries worldwide.

The Girls in ICT events work towards cultivating the presence of girls and young women [aged 12-24] in the fields of STEM, particularly in ICTs. Given the success of the initiative each year, ITU will continue the efforts to promote Girls in ICT throughout the year with 2023 marking a launching point for a new model of Girls in ICT year-long activities.

This year Girls in ICT Day was on 27 April and followed the 2023 theme of “Digital Skills for Life!". According to ITU's latest data, the proportion of women using the Internet globally amounts to 57 per cent, compared to 62 per cent of men. If women are unable to access the internet or do not feel safe online, they will not be able to develop digital skills and participate in digital spaces. This would diminish their opportunities to pursue a career in STEM fields.

In the Pacific region, the Girls in ICT Day initiative aims to encourage girls and young women to pursue studying STEM subjects, enhance their level of digital skills, and raise awareness on meaningful and safe use of ICT.

​The celebration on the 27 April 2023 has been organized by the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC), the Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA), and the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific with a series of the online training programmes via Zoom platform.​​

Drawing upon the success of developing national and regional programmes for Girls in ICT, the Pacific Girls in ICT Day Programme was lanched on 27^th April 2023 together with national government, UN agencies, Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA) and Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC). The programme aims to encourage girls and young woman to pursue studying STEM, enhance their level of digital skill, and raise awareness on meaningful and safe use of ICT.​

In order to share experiences from the programme in 2023, enhance partnerships going forward and invite commitments to further strengthen the programme, a final event is being organized on 20^th October 2023 in Suva, Fiji back-to-back with PITA Strategy Forum​
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Objective

​​Expected Outcomes

• Enhanced awareness on the Pacific Girls in ICT Day Programme 2023 inlcuding the experiences from the Pacific.
• Increased interests from governments, industry, development organizations, UN agencies, civil society in strengthening Pacific Girls in ICT Day programme going forward​

During the programme, girls and young women who participated in the Girls in ICT Day digital skills training will also share their experiences and aspirations carried over from what they achieved after attending several sessions.​

Targeted Participants:

Honourable guests from UN Resident Coordinator's Office, Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Commissions, teachers, students, girls and young women in the Pacific​