By Keshet Bachan

Adolescent Girls and ICT4D

Who are adolescent girls?

An estimated 500 million adolescent girls living in the ‘developing’ world today

Why adolescent girls?

1. Suffer from multiple forms of discrimination2. Invisible in development programming 3. Potential for breaking intergenerational cycle

of poverty4. Adolescence is best age for interventions /

changing life trajectories

What do we want to challenge?

• Structural forms of discrimination• Traditional / cultural / religious beliefs• Poverty• Intersecting inequalities and compounding

vulnerabilities • internalizing oppression • Endemic violence

Why ICT’s?

• Availability • Connectivity • Privacy • Flexibility

Examples• Accessing information on

SRHR• Community mobilization

(stop child marriage)• Birth registration through

SMS• Finding work• Connecting with peers

(less isolation)

What steps need to be taken to include adolescent girls in ICT4D?

• STEM education• Legislation and policy • Working with men & boys • Female mentors / role models

Remember! ICTs are not a silver bullet – they are another tool for facilitating change and promoting gender equality.

The many challenges of structural discrimination, which prevent adolescent girls from realizing their basic rights, also mean they have less access to ICTs. We must always ask – are ICTs in a given situation the best tool?

Remember! The intersection of girl’s rights and online spaces / digital tools, often poses risks.

Technology can challenge or facilitate discrimination and violence against women and girls. It’s important to think about the gendered implications of the tools we choose to adopt.

Adolescent girls programming & policy

Thank You!

Q&A