Page 12 - DIVA_1_2017

INTERNATIONAL

Q: So what are you doing concretely to increase the es, and best practices we could make a difference. Con-
number of girls in the ICT field? cretely, we aim to be evidence-based, starting 11 with a
ITU has been active in this space for a number of years. baseline of data to enable us to monitor and report every
One of our main initiatives, spearheaded by the ITU De- year on how we are doing on to close the divide. We have
velopment Sector, is Girls in ICT day which has been done an extensive mapping exercise of related initiatives
running since 2011. An annual celebration held on the 4th in an effort to identify best practices as well as gaps. Those
Thursday of every April, Girls in ICT aims to attract and gaps would then be filled through collective efforts of the
encourage girls to take up studies and careers in the ICT Equals partners.
sector. The celebration has been held in over 160 coun-
tries. The September announcement was part of the communi-
cation and advocacy actions.
We also have an annual award together with UN Women
called the Gender Equality Mainstreaming in Technology We have asked people to take a photo making the Equals
(GEM-TECH). The Award, running since 2014, recognizes gesture, tweet it or put it on their Facebook, or Instagram
outstanding organizational and individual innovations and with the hashtag #beEquals - Why? Because technology
achievements in advancing women engagement with ICT. can be the greatest equalizer we have ever known.

In September 2016, on the margins of the UN General The next step for "Equals" is a working meeting during
Assembly we announced a new initiative together with ITU Telecom World in November in Bangkok. After that
UN Women, called EQUALS. Equals is a Global Part- we will head to the World Economic Forum in Davos,
nership to ensure gender equality in the digital age, and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and more.
ensure the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goal #5. Q: ITU seems to be lagging behind other UN organiza-
tions in women at top management positions. Do you
With the various review processes that took place last year think this will change?
from the review of the Beijing Platform Action, and the Yes, I think we are making progress, slowly but surely.
10-year review of the World Summit on the Information Our Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao, is a Geneva Gen-
Society (WSIS), one factor stood out. The goals linked to der Champion. It's a great initiative which was started
women having equal access to technology, having equal last year by Pamela Hamamoto, the US ambassador and
opportunities and representation in the work force, and Michael Möller, UNOG Director-General to advance
in decision making, etc. had not been met. And the ITU gender equality through concrete and measurable com-
stats for 2015 revealed that the gender digital divide was mitments.
actually growing. The philosophy is quite simple. In order to become Gen-
der Champion you have to sign on to a parity panel
Equals is the result of these reflections, and will tackle 3 pledge. It means putting an end to #manels (panels filled
main areas: access, skills, and leadership. There is a lot only with men).
happening in the ICT space, but we need to be able to
scale. If everyone were to come together, share experienc- In addition, the organisation had to make two commit-
ments. Our SG is paying attention
to women applicants for jobs at
ITU. He is also paying attention to
the composition of Member State
delegations.

We are also working to raise aware-
PNEUSENGROS - TOUSPNEUS S.A. ness with our Member States about
this issue. We now announce the
Votre spéciaListe pneumatique delegation with the largest women

a seuLement 5 minutes des Nations delegates, and also the percentage
of women delegates. We are also en-
couraging our members to put for-
Les Grottes
Sur rendez-vous
Véhicule prèt en 30 minutes 31, rue du Fort-Barreau ward women candidates for leader-
ship positions in our conferences
Partenaire CASBIA 1201 Genève
and study groups, as well as mod-
Détaxe Tél. 022 733 18 08
erators, and speakers.

10 DIVA - INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMAT