Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) in collaboration with Women in Technology Uganda (WITU) are organizing an event dubbed celebrating girls in ICT, where, officials say, girls will be walked through ways in which they can exploit the dramatically growing technology sector.
An official statement indicates that the event will be held on Thursday May 31st, 2018 at Nabisunsa Girls School in Kampala.
Speaking to this website on Wednesday, Doris Akoth, an official with witu said that that event is “going to be an exhibition” where different girls that have produced tech items will showcase to their colleagues.
The event is open to everyone, she said.
The event comes at a time when, through various projects, the world is trying to enhance women’s participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, commonly known as STEM.
In Uganda, for instance, the number of girls taking science subjects is still very small compared to boys; despite having more female graduates than males, Makerere University, the biggest tertiary institution — produces more male science students than females.
There are no definitive statistics on the participation of women in STEM in Uganda, but figures from other countries, even those that are developed — can paint a relatable picture.
Numerous reports indicate that in the United States, women earn only about 35 percent of the undergraduate degrees in STEM, a number that has remained unchanged for the past decade, even though they account for almost 60 percent of college graduates.
A survey made by the National Centre for Education Statistics between 2014 and 2015 in the US showed that while women earned about 40 percent of the degrees in mathematics, only 18 percent of those were in computer sciences or engineering.
A 2015 survey done in the Silicon Valley, the most renowned crowded hub for startups and tech behemoths showed that women owned only 5 per cent of startups.
In Uganda, there are no dependable figures about the above, but all tech pitching contests, apart from those targeting only women, are dominated by men.
Amidst these glaring statistics, with this event, the partners, according to a Wednesday UCC statement, “intend to showcase the vast possibilities ICTS have to offer to the girl child and encourage women to envision a future in STEM.”
We have partnered with @wituganda to celebrate girls in ICT,the event is intended to showcase the vast possibilities #ICTs have to offer to the girl child + encourage young women to envision a future in #STEM
The event will be hosted at @nabisunsagirls pic.twitter.com/rArhhPg5Iq— UCC (@UCC_Official) May 15, 2018
Witu also says that they “need to show girls and young women that STEM is the future that we all need to embrace.”
We are excited about this partnership with @UCC_Official to show girls and young women that #STEM is the future that we all need to embrace! Also #STEM is not just coding! It’s so much more, it’s a world of possibilities and more….. @BarbsBirungi @theirworld @SegalFoundation https://t.co/eqc7OkElnd
— #Women In STEM (@wituganda) May 16, 2018
About witu
The founders of Women in Technology Uganda say they started the initiative with an aim of “Empowering, Inspiring and Training the next generation of Uganda female leaders, business women and technologists.”
By doing that, they believe, according to their website, that this will create a community of exemplary women ready to take on careers in technological fields such that the gender gap is reduced, and also help business women to create strong and growing SMEs.
One of their major projects was opening the first women focused tech and business hub to support early stage and growing women SMEs.
Witu also has a Career, leadership and Life Skills Program (CLSP) that runs for three months, targeting young women from underserved communities so that they learn to generate income.
They also have other programs targeting kids, secondary school girls and digital enterprise training, hackathons and internship programs.
