DOT and ITU Announce #GirlsinICT Street Team to Bridge the Gender Digital Divide

April 22, 2021

This Girls in ICT Day, Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) and ITU are pleased to announce the #GirlsinICT Street Team, a youth-led response to the gender digital divide and contribution to the EQUALS Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age.

Through the #GirlsinICT Street Team, DOT and ITU will support the impact and reach of 50 youth-led, grassroots initiatives in Africa that are creating opportunities for young women and girls in technology.

Recruitment for the first cohort of the #GirlsinICT Street Team will open mid-June 2021 to young women and men aged 18-29  who are based in Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Malawi and who have already-existing community initiatives that are bridging the gender digital divide. 

Throughout the 4-month program, youth will receive 1-on-1 virtual coaching with a trained coach, customized learning opportunities, training in gender equality, connections to peer groups, and seed funding for their initiatives. 

As a result, youth-led community initiatives will be made stronger and more resilient, their reach will be scaled, and their impact will grow. 

An initiative based on DOT’s highly scalable and impactful #DOTYouth Street Team model, the #GirlsinICT Street Team is a part of ITU’s global Girls in ICT 10th Anniversary celebration.

The impact of the DOT’s Street Team model is tremendous: the first cohort of 43 youth supported 480,301 community members through their initiatives and 87.5% of Street Team members reported that they are confident or very confident in their abilities to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals because of their experience with DOT.

Members of DOT’s previous Street Team cohorts are transforming digital education, taking action for mental health, working in prisons and refugee camps, and creating critical support networks in marginalized communities. 

DOT and ITU are seeking additional partners to support implementation of the #GirlsinICT Street Team, including those who can provide seed funds, learning opportunities to youth, and networks of support. Please contact Julia Misselbrook, Sr. Director of International Partnerships at DOT, for more information: jmisselbrook@dotrust.org.

Follow DOT’s social media channels to be notified when recruitment opens in June for the #GirlsinICT Street Team: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin

About Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT)

Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) works with youth, the private sector, governments, and community-based organizations towards a collaborative vision of communities around the world shaped by daring social innovators. As an international organization with locally-managed offices in Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Rwanda, South Africa, and Tanzania, DOT has worked in 25 countries as development innovators and catalysts since being founded in 2001. DOT’s growing network of 6,000 local youth have created opportunities for over 1 million people in communities across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Indigenous Canada. Learn more about DOT at http://v2.dotrust.org. 

About ITU

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – ICTs. ITU is committed to connecting all the world’s people – wherever they live and whatever their means. Through our work, we protect and support everyone’s right to communicate.​ Learn more about ITU at https://www.itu.int/.

About Girls in ICT Day

 This year marks the 10th Anniversary of International Girls in ICT Day with the theme “Connected Girls; Creating Brighter Futures.” Traditionally celebrated on the fourth Thursday of April,  the Girls in ICT celebrations for this special year will highlight the 10 moments in the life of young girls bringing into focus some of the key stakeholders and industries responsible for promoting girls in the field of technology. Since 2011, over 377,000 girls and young women have taken part in more than 11,400 International Girls in ICT Day celebrations in 171 countries. Learn more about Girls in ICT Day at https://www.itu.int/women-and-girls/girls-in-ict/.

About the EQUALS Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age

The EQUALS Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age is a committed group of corporate leaders, governments, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions, NGOs and community groups around the world dedicated to promoting gender balance in the technology sector by championing equality of access, skills development and career opportunities for women and men alike. Learn more about EQUALS at https://www.equalsintech.org.