ICT stemming from IT stands for Information and Communications Technology the difference being that this technology is centered around communications such as telephones, video equipment and programs, and even artificial intelligence. ICT has enabled the world to come into closer contact with one another, allowing our world’s brilliant minds to come and work together of all ages, genders, and races. ICT naturally promotes inclusivity as it allows us to all communicate and brainstorm and better our ideas together. This communication has and will continue to propel us forward in our innovations. However, technology can be exclusive and those with mental and physical disabilities have a much harder time finding their way around technology. ICT has allowed for these barriers to be broken with screen readers, spell-checkers, and in the classroom, more attentive courses that fit individual learning styles. ICT is an essential tool for the social and economic development of people with special needs: we can use technology to provide education, jobs, literacy, and life skills training to those who have disabilities to help improve their lives. We can provide quality education to everyone and reduce the inequalities between those in different learning conditions. And with this, we can all contribute to the betterment of this world. No matter the barrier ICT can allow for communication and innovations to be shared. This is in alignment with SDG 4, quality education, and SDG 10, reducing inequalities. The investment of ICT can help work towards these two goals while enabling all young minds including our marginalized populations with the education that suits them resulting in more passionate young minds to collaborate on new innovations all around the world and encourage communication worldwide.
Throughout this pandemic, science and technology have been the foundation of the global coordinated response, from vaccine advancements to important innovations in internet and communication technologies. Even though we may be physically apart, there has never been a better time to come together to support technology initiatives which are able to protect our health, societies, and economies. Information and Communications Technology supports economic and global growth, and perhaps most importantly, democratises opportunity among communities who might not have traditionally been able to have access. The professions of the future will be driven by technological and scientific innovation and approximately 65 percent of children in primary school today, will enter vocations which do not currently exist. As a global community, when we bridge the digital divide between women and men, and when we equip young people with digital literacy, we advance our communities, empower underrepresented voices, and contribute to promoting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Science, technology, and innovation has the potential to solve many of our modern day problems. SDG 17, Partnerships for the Goals, is essential in the development of a sustainable and thriving planet with equitable access to ICT. With less than nine years left until 2030, successful partnerships and collaboration are the only way in which we can achieve the SDGs. We need governments to adopt bottom-up approaches which necessitate communication with local communities and individuals to implement sustainable and impactful policies. It is crucial to ensure that resources are distributed equitably, and that nations aim to adopt an inclusive approach, in order to share not only within their own countries, but across the globe. RASIT is a paragon of nurturing authentic inter- generational partnerships, as exemplified through the creation of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science allowing girls to voice their ideas about the SDGs, all over the world. ‘Partnerships for the goals’ may be the most pre-eminent SDG, as all other goals depend upon it. Furthermore without SDG 17, we may never have equal access to ICT, which is key in the development of sustainable and prosperous societies.
Enhancing ICT across rural areas is a significant step towards ensuring equal access to ICT globally. To further promote the expansion of ICT in rural regions, we must lobby governments to demand widespread ICT access. A decade ago, in rural China, one of the few ways farmers made money was by selling their grain to large companies. In recent years, as the Chinese government attaches great importance to ICT development, ICT knowledge and tools begin to enter rural areas. The local government teaches villagers how to use ICT tools such as mobile phones, and how to access larger markets through ICT. Initially, many farmers thought the ICT knowledge was superfluous, however, it was not long before the farmers found they could sell their goods to the self-employed at a higher price, thus, the demand for an understanding of ICT increased dramatically in rural China. Nowadays, many villages sell their agricultural products to individual customers through internet platforms, such as, ‘Tik Tok’, which has greatly aided the alleviation of poverty in rural regions.China’s example can be applied in many other countries to achieve an equitable dissemination of ICT via stimulating the demand for ICT knowledge. Furthermore ICT has spread local cultures, making many rural areas into tourist destinations, thereby boosting commercial traffic in those areas. The benefits have been greatly divided at the state and individual levels at the same time. One of the most significant benefits of ICT is experienced when it is deployed in the field of education. Without ICT in the era of covid-19, education would have been completely halted in many regions and countries but thanks to the transition to the remote electronic learning system this helped us to continue the educational process. It has directed many countries to invest in the technology aspect of the school system where it was almost non-existent in many regions. Technology has benefited and changed our lifestyles for the better, life is always changing, and it is the successful one that invests this change in its favor.
Contrastingly, South Korea, home to some of the world-leading electronics and ICT companies like Samsung, LG, SK, and KT, is currently a world leader in internet penetration rates and has some of the world’s fastest internet speeds. According to Dr. Seung Keon Kim, Vice President of Korea Association for ICT Promotion (KAIT), Korea’s rapid transformation from a war-torn country in the mid-1900s to a pioneer in ICT is attributable to the government’s fast-forward digital economy vision for ICT. The 21st-Century education system in Korea integrates ICT at all levels of the school system to foster bright-minded youth leaders that would thrive in the digital economy. It is possible that the emphasis on STEM education serves as a prerequisite for cross-border collaboration and innovation, explaining how Korea successfully launched 5G technology before any other country. Considering that ICT is an index of development, it is vital to ensure multinational alliances to bridge the digital divide and aid less fortunate populations. Additionally it can encourage like-minded girls to connect with each other, sharing thoughts and ideas. This is perfectly encapsulated by the Girls in Science for SDGs International Platform, as it exemplifies how digitally connecting youth from across the world can work wonders! However, even in higher income countries the Gender gap in ICT is very prominent. Hence, there is a need for global investors and innovative financial models. Furthermore international platforms and programs especially dedicated to promoting girls’ participation in ICT are crucial. Therefore, not only do we require ICT for global collaboration but international collaboration is necessary for increasing access to ICT as well.
Computer literacy presents the opportunity for women and girls to empower themselves and control their own future through the sharing of innovative concepts in safe and supportive environments, which they may otherwise not have access to in their daily lives. It is true that “when you educate a girl, you educate a village,” as proven by one young woman from Arusha, Tanzania called Dr. Neema Mduma. Dr. Mduma is a computer scientist and lecturer who developed a machine learning model called “BakiShule” during her PhD. Accessible to Tanzanians across all regions the model aims to mitigate the threat of students dropping out of school. Today, it has over 2000 active users and has successfully reduced the student dropout rate to just 8 percent.
Throughout this pandemic, ICT has enabled the world to stay connected and been at the forefront of the global coordinated response to COVID-19. It also acts to break down barriers and digitally connects like-minded youth in order to permit international collaboration and progress towards the achievement of the SDGs. It is now our responsibility to increase equitable access to ICT for girls in all regions of the world, thereby improving access to education and science.
