International Day of the Girl

𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙞𝙧𝙡

Growing up in a all girl household, my sisters and I were lucky to go to a great school, have a safe home and when we were unwell, we had access to healthcare.

Today is the 10th anniversary of International Day of the Girl, a day to recognise that girls around the word continue to face challenges to their education, their physical and mental wellness and the protection for a life without violence.

When this photo was taken of my sisters and I, around 1995/1996 the World Wide Web, had just starting to gain momentum. Before we knew it the internet would change our culture and how we communicate forever.

It is hard to remember a time before the bustling digital age we are living in today.

Recently I had to give a history lesson to my son, after I told him to hang up the mobile phone.

“What do you mean hang it up?

“You press the button on the screen Mum.

“Yes, well before mobile phones, there were phones, with cords and a handset that hung on your kitchen wall or sat on a table in the hallway in your house- they were called landlines.”

Funny to think that you had to wait until you were home to make a call and that you couldn’t just look up the answer to your question using Google, but head to the library or use the Encyclopaedia set in the bookcase in the lounge room.

But for many Less Developed Countries (LDC) there is a huge digital divide when it comes to access to technology.

This year’s theme for International Day of the Girl is improving digital literacy and communication skills and online safety for girls.

When it comes to digital literacy it is lower in girls, and it is not just about having access to the technology, it is developing the knowledge and skills need to use devices.

And when skills are taught, the education gives an understanding so girls can use their digital skills on devices safely - to feel empowered not exploited.

According to the United Nations the global internet user gender gap is growing, from 11 per cent in 2013 to 17 per cent in 2019, and widest in the world’s least developed countries at 43 per cent.

In developed countries, education and use of digital skills is on the rise with soft skills such as Information Technology and Communication (ICT) leading the way as one of the important skillsets for future employment.

Part of the conversations is how do we make sure girls and young women are taking on jobs to bridge the digital divide across multiple industries including STEM and non traditional roles?

The digital divide is not about not having a tiktok account or a million followers and a blue tick on your Instagram - it is about creating opportunities and making connections for change.

Looking back on this photo of three little girls, we had no real thoughts of what the future would look like or that your phone would be on you 24/7.

Instead we were blessed to play in the backyard in our cubby house and feel safe and loved.

And when you are a little girl, this is all, you need. But it is days like today that are an important reminder of the little girls across the globe, that are living with adversities rather than the opportunity to enjoy their childhood.

However, in saying this there are many young girls from many countries that have proven that out of adversity comes resilience, creativity, determination and resourcefulness.

A few things that aren’t always taught from the Internet or your smartphone.