Blog by Tania Gómez Herazo, SI Advocacy AI Advisor.
Today, we celebrated the international Girls in ICT at the ITU offices in Geneva, under the theme “AI for Development: Girls shaping the digital future”.
I was inspired by the energy, collaboration and shared vision in the room. The event brought together a variety of stakeholders: Member states, UN agencies, tech companies, civil society, young women and girls.
Throughout the discussions, we all made one thing abundantly clear: inclusion in technology and AI isn’t optional. It is a strategic, ethical and economic imperative.
Why this matters
When all girls and women help design technology, we get products or solutions that reflect a wider range of needs, perspectives and rights. Experts and speakers at the event emphasized that inclusive tech reduces bias, improves safety and leads to better outcomes in healthcare, education and livelihoods. From AI-assisted medical imaging to voice-enabled health guidance for rural mothers, we saw real-world examples of how diverse minds create tools that save lives , and expand opportunity and prosperity.
Also impactful narratives were highlighted, such as the East African entrepreneur who used AI to deliver maternal health information, this is a great example of “building from lived experience.”
International Girls in ICT Day demonstrated that when all multistakeholders listen to girls, invest in their ideas, and create pathways into tech, we all benefit. Together, we can shape technology that reflects 100% of humanity’s creativity and potential.
At Soroptimist International, we believe tha all girls shouldn’t just use technology , they must lead it as the innovators and decision-makers of our digital future.
Let’s bridge the STEM gap and build an ethical, inclusive and safe digital world together!
