INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL
The digital gender divide & how you can help
MP EDITION 090
The International Day of the Girl was started by the United Nations back in 2011 and is recognized each year on October 11. The day aims to highlight the needs and challenges that girls all over the world face. The goal is to ultimately enable and empower girls with the training and education they need to succeed.
Each year focuses on a specific issue. Past issues highlighted have included education, child marriage, access to healthcare, and gender-based violence. This year’s theme is Digital generation. Our generation
Digital education
These days, being digitally literate is essential for a young person’s education and future. Over 90% of jobs worldwide have a digital component. But about 2.2 billion people below the age of 25 still do not have access to the internet at home.
Unicef says “there is a large gap in women and girls’ digital adoption and use compared to men and boys”. The gender digital divide when it comes to access to the internet in the world’s least developed countries is at 32.9%. The International Telecommunications Union reports that more than 50% of the world’s women are offline and that it’s even more pronounced in developing countries.
But the gender digital divide is more than just connectivity. Girls are also less likely than boys to use and own digital devices and have access to tech-related skills and jobs.
This gap of digital adoption for girls has a big impact on every aspect of their futures - from education to employment to speaking out about issues that affect them. “Without increased digital adoption and use, girls will have fewer employment opportunities and will face additional barriers to workforce participation” (Unicef).
Organizations that are working to provide equal access to education for girls everywhere
One Girl Can, onegirlcan.com
I Love My Muff is a proud partner of One Girl Can, an organization that works to raise awareness of gender inequality worldwide and provides young girls in Africa access to education, mentorship, and opportunities they would have otherwise would not have access to. $1 from each product sold on our online store is donated to help support One Girl Can in their efforts.
Girls who Code, girlswhocode.com
Girls Who Code has helped more than 90,000 girls and counting. This learning program introduces middle school and high school girls to computer science classes and provides them with a community of peers for support. Girls from all backgrounds are encouraged to develop leadership skills, technical knowledge, and problem-solving abilities.
Girl Up, girlup.org
Girl Up was founded by the United Nations Foundation in 2010 and works to create safe schools, increase girls' education opportunities, provide access to health services, and cultivate female leadership. The programs support girls' rights in places where girls are most vulnerable such as Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Liberia, and more.
Malala Fund, malala.org
Founded by activist Malala Yousafzai, the Malala Fund works to extend girls' access to secondary education. Partnering with local activists, the Malala Fund centers on empowering marginalized girls in Afghanistan, Brazil, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria through leadership training, mentorship, as well as policy advocacy.
Code to Inspire, codetoinspire.org
Code to Inspire empowers female students in Afghanistan with the tech tools, knowledge, and resources to develop their coding skills to help equip them in their fight for social, political, and economic equality.
Girl Start, girlstart.org
Girlstart encourages and empowers girls to become more interested and engaged in STEM by offering six STEM programs for girls from kindergarten to grade 12.
Many young girls around the world do not have access to safe feminine hygiene products. Days for Girls International provides a solution for long-term access to these necessities, as well as essential feminine health information. Access to feminine hygiene products also prevents girls from missing school due to their periods.
