We don’t think that we would be able to find a single person who hasn’t thought that information technology has taken the world by storm. It’s something that has revolutionized modern life, and many of us rely on it for our day-to-day banking, for receiving our news, and even for shopping.

That has resulted in a sharp rise in tech jobs around the world, but not everyone is benefiting from ICT jobs. According to the latest statistics, women hold just 26.7% of the tech-related jobs in the world. And this is a problem. A problem that is being brought to everyone’s attention through the holiday International Girls in ICT Day.

This is a holiday that’s observed on the fourth Thursday in April and one that attempts to highlight the importance of more girls and young women pursuing STEM education and getting a job in tech.

The History Of International Girls In ICT Day

International Girls in ICT Day is a holiday that was created by the ITU, also known as the International Telecommunication Union, in 2011. The ITU was originally founded in 1865 in Paris to facilitate international connectivity in communication networks.

Because it dealt with telegraph lines at that time, it was originally known as the International Telegraph Union. As other communication technologies came online, it became clear that its name no longer encompassed the totality of global communications.

This is why its name was changed to the International Telecommunication Union in 1932. In 1947, it would become a specialized agency of the United Nations. In Geneva, Switzerland, the ITU announced this holiday on April 8th, 2018. It was designed as a holiday to be observed on the fourth Thursday in April every year.

Since its creation, this holiday has helped over 400,000 girls and young women take part in over 11,400 celebrations in 171 countries. This has made the possibility of these girls and young women getting jobs in the field of information and communications technology very likely.

Observing International Girls In ICT Day

This holiday is observed by ICT regulatory authorities, companies in the ICT field, schools, United Nations agencies, governments, and non-governmental organizations around the world. It’s also been observed by thousands of young women who are interested in learning more about the field of ICT and how they can be at the forefront of information technology.

Anyone and everyone who wants to support this cause can do so by spreading the news about this holiday. All anyone has to do is use the hashtag #InternationalGirlsInICTDay. It’s that simple. Let’s all look forward to a time when girls and young women are equally represented in the information and communication field.