Today is International Day of the Girl, which offers the world the opportunity to highlight global gender bias and advocate girls’ rights everywhere. Although great advancements have been made across the globe to support opportunities for girls and women, there is still some way to go.
That is why days like today are so important in drawing the spotlight on the issue of gender inequality and urging action. At Intel, we are engaging in a range of activities to show our support, including screenings of our short film ‘Girl Rising’ which showcases the strength of human spirit and the power of education to change the world.
However, it’s not just about what is going on today. There needs to be consistent awareness of the importance of education for girls and women throughout the year. Data has revealed that, when educated, girls and women become powerful catalysts for global progress and economic growth. In fact, one additional year of primary education alone can increase their future wages by 10 to 20 percent, while an extra year of secondary school adds another 15 to 25 percent.
Intel has recently launched “She Will Connect” with its partners, local and global NGOs and governments to transform women’s and girls’ lives and livelihoods in Africa through increased access to and use of the Internet, initially aiming to reduce the gender and technology gap in sub-Saharan Africa by five million young women over the next three years.
The programme will improve digital literacy skills by integrating digital literacy training into gender and development programmes in shared computing environments. As part of its digital literacy efforts, Intel will also provide women with safe, online access to communities and networks through World Pulse, where women can exchange ideas, find support and mentorship, stay connected and search user-generated content.
On a day like today it is great to hear about all the initiatives going on across the world in the fight against gender inequality. It is a fantastic platform to bring these issues into the spotlight, share ideas and inspire action across the world.