The Catalyst for Achieving Women Empowerment
Written by Emmanuel Huertas | Ananya Khatry
There has always been an obvious barrier when it comes to equal successful opportunities between women and men. Countless generations in today’s socio-political climate can still reaffirm the idea that women still fall fairly short of their male counterparts. There are countless in which women are underrepresented such as in sports, political positions, workforce/labor pay, rates of employment, etc. However, huge strides have been made in order to combat these issues. They were made successfully on a Federal and independent level via the use of technology and innovation in education. In regards to this, true women’s equality can be theoretically seen on the horizon in the United States.
A strong promise was delivered to women in the United States; the proposal and passing of “Let Girls Learn”. First mentioned by the lady of the White House, Michelle Obama, in 2015. The goal of the initiative is to increase access to education for girls around the world, particularly in developing countries where girls face barriers to education due to poverty, cultural norms, etc. The White House’s record on the topic of Empowering young girls and women stated that they engaged with “open data and technology to empower women and girls and expand ladders to opportunity through The Opportunity Project, a platform for using Federal and local data and digital tools to help people navigate information on resources they need to thrive.” This was the entire goal of the “Let Girls Learn initiative”, and it succeeded. Additionally, this act has given many women, specifically those under-represented and underprivileged technological resources to succeed. Mainly, it provides access to safe and supportive learning environments, trained teachers, and educational materials. It also aims to address the systemic barriers that prevent girls from accessing education, such as early marriage, gender-based violence, and discrimination.
By exploring this act even further, we can see its widespread impact on the female population. This momentous ruling was backed up by not only ex-President Obama and his wife, but was also coordinated by the security council of the United Nations. The national White House archives state that “The State Department has led the charge in addressing barriers that restrict adolescent girls’ empowerment, and is supporting over $10 million in programs focused on adolescent girls in over 16 countries. With the launch of its third annual Women in Science (WiSci) Girls STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, and Mathematics) Camp during the summer of 2017…” how does this relate to the white house? It jumps from the quote “ women in science without a connection Woman in science has partnered with tech giants like Intel and Google, bringing 100 high school level girls from the United States to where they take them to build their STEAM skills, develop leadership potential, and explore the use of technology. This enables them to aid in creating a safer, more secure world, with a focus on preventing gender-based violence. Furthermore, additional multi-million dollar investments made by the United States allowed these resources to be implemented across the world. Secondary schools in under-developed countries have received over $100,000,000 in educational investments in projects which comprehensively trained 1,300 secondary school principals to eliminate gender bias, address sex discrimination by peers, and guide adolescent girls toward STEM fields.
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Finally, we must recognize that this challenge cannot be solved through one entity alone. The U.S. government is bringing together stakeholders from the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and civil society to support this cause. However, more action is vital. By implementing multilateral, bilateral, and regional engagement, the Let Girls Learn program is effectively progressing women’s education in almost every corner of the globe. The United States government has therefore cooperated with other foreign governments in order to support grassroots local advocates for girls’ education.
However, there have been advancements by private entities utilizing technology for gender reform. A prominent example is America’s (and arguably the world’s) most prominent software usage company, also known as Google. Google has implemented many measures advocating for women in the technology industry. The company, which is based in Silicon Valley, California, partnered with a variety of entities. An example being with for future reference you don’t need to quote names InnoVation Girls, an organization that empowers young women worldwide to learn and develop technology that will benefit their community. This approach to giving women a foot in the door within the tech industry has worked amazingly. As a tradition, Google annually invites young women from all over the world to California to learn, compete, and solve real-world problems. The leading tech organization has also funded scholarships for underprivileged women to travel to California to pitch their ideas for innovative apps. Every company should follow Google’s lead in championing gender equality.
Other centralized American companies such as IBM (International Business Machines Corporation), have also been major players in the tech industry regarding women’s rights and decreasing the gender pay gap. For instance, they’ve established a monumental campaign labeled, “#BetterForBalance which encouraged employees around the world to advocate for women’s rights. IBM employees held up signs challenging stereotypes and biases, celebrating IBM women, and supporting gender equality. IBM even had a female CEO Ginni Rometty, who fulfilled this role from 2012–2020. Additionally, the organization supports organizations that serve women in 40 countries. These organizations aid in a variety of areas; with economic growth, health care, and violence prevention being a few examples. In Ghana, an IBM team paved the way for educating girls in rural communities. While IBM’s headquarters are in Armonk, New York, they are successfully providing international aid. Countries that have been positively impacted include Kenya, India, and Ghana. IBM has proved itself to be a trailblazer for women’s equality. IBM continues to empower and protect women while continuing to bridge the gap between women and STEM.
To conclude, technology has had a crucial role in improving equality for women. From increased access to education to reduced gender bias in recruitment, technology has enabled women to overcome many of the barriers that have traditionally held them back. While there is still much to be done in order to achieve complete gender equality, the progress made thus far demonstrates the power of technology to drive positive change and create a brighter future for women.
“Fact Sheet: Let Girls Learn — a Comprehensive Investment in Adolescent Girls Education.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/10/11/fact-sheet-let-girls-learn-comprehensive-investment-adolescent-girls.
“President Obama’s Record on Empowering Women and Girls.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/issues/women.
“Women in Culture — Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, https://artsandculture.google.com/project/women-in-culture.
“IBM Lab Services Uses Highly Collaborative Video to Engage Employees for a #BalanceforBetter.” International Women’s Day, https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Activity/14321/IBM-Lab-Services-uses-highly-collaborative-video-to-engage-employees-for-a-BalanceforBetter.
