From Learning to Leading: Unlocking the Power of Girls in ICT

On International Girls in ICT Day, two students share how the African Girls Can Code Initiative is empowering young women to transform tech.

“African Girls Can Code – I’m not going to lie,” started Victoria Komukyeya, a newly certified coder. “It was an answered prayer!”

We sat down with Komukyeya and Patience Akongo, two Ugandan high school students in the UN Women-supported African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI). The programme has trained hundreds of young women, all across the continent, for careers in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

Their journeys are proof: when the power of technology meets the limitless potential of young women, it feels as if there is no problem they cannot solve. That’s why – for Komukyeya, Akongo and all aspiring entrepreneurs – it is critical that we close the digital gender divide.

Throughout the male-dominated tech sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), deeply entrenched stereotypes and bias keep women from entering or staying in ICT careers. Worse still, between 16 and 58 per cent of women have reported facing digital abuse, including sexual harassment, explicit deepfakes and online stalking.

UN Women is working towards a world in which all women and girls feel safe and free from violence, online and off. Students in the AGCCI programme earn more than a certificate for their résumés. Their new tech skills boost their confidence and their sense of online safety.

How the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) is Closing the Digital Gender Divide

For years, Komukyeya had tried to teach herself how to code but found her learning opportunities were too brief, irregular or expensive. “But you can participate in AGGCI for free,” emphasised Komukyeya, with relief.

“I met really great people,” she reflected. “They knew so much that I yearned to know! And during those interactions, my eyes were opened: coding is simple if you give it time and if you are really passionate about it. You need to be purposeful with it.”

Since 2018, UN Women has implemented AGCCI in partnership with the African Union Commission and the International Telecommunication Union. The programme equips young women with skills like coding, digital literacy, problem-solving and leadership. AGCCI has hosted coding camps for women and girls ages 17 to 25 across Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

In the 10-day camp, students learn User Interface/User Experience design (how a website looks and feels), web production, graphic design and even robotics. “I learned how to design directly from scratch: games, apps, websites,” said Akongo.

AGCCI rang a bell in my mind… If I give coding my time and heart, I believe I can make it. It’s all about believing in yourself. – Patience Akongo

Why Tech Still has a Gender Problem

Many of us readily admit that our lives are governed by technology. We keep in touch through online platforms, access news and education through websites, and check tomorrow’s weather on smartphone apps.

But women represent just one-third of the people building these convenient, and often critical, technologies. Those that do enter ICT careers are often kept out of leadership positions or pushed out entirely by pervasive gender bias and lack of support. It’s sometimes referred to as a career ladder with a “broken rung” or the “leaky” STEM pipeline (that’s STEM for science, technology, engineering and maths).

“What a boy can do, a girl can do best,” said Akongo with a cheeky, confident smile. “It’s a mindset. I personally believe I can code better than a boy. I have that capability.”

When it comes to AI, Akongo admitted she still has a lot of questions. “AI is something someone designed, maybe they wrote code, to help solve problems and get answers fast within the blink of an eye.”

It’s real people that design our AI tools, including their flaws. “It’s all about proving those people wrong” about their gender bias, Akongo explained. To reduce gender bias in the technologies we create, women and girls must be seen, heard and included at every stage. 

What Happens When Girls get Access to Tech

When asked about her vision of her future, Komukyeya shared: “I just see myself as a better person. I want to be someone who comes up with solutions, who solves problems.”

“One of the reasons I loved learning Arduino and robotics,” Komukyeya said, “is because I want to come up with something like a machine that absorbs carbon dioxide – a portable one you can carry with you in polluted areas.”

I feel like girls are missing out on a lot. [People believe] that the ‘big’ things, the ‘hard’ things are meant for men. As women, we stand on the side. I want to change that whole idea… and empower girls with coding. – Victoria Komukyeya

During the AGCCI camps, students form teams and use their new ICT training to solve a local issue. Akongo and her classmates created an informational website to combat drug abuse among youth, sharing hope-inspiring alternatives, including job training resources.

They called their team “The Icons” – a fitting title for young women already reshaping what the future of tech looks like.

This story was originally published by UN Women.