On 23 April 2025, on the occasion of the International Day of Girls in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity, in collaboration with the Service for Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy (SMC)and the societal impact society WIDE ANDCO, organised the ‘Girls in ICT Day’ conference at the Lycée des Arts et Métiers. The event brought together around 80 high school students, a few high school students, teachers and various institutional actors, with the aim of raising young people’s awareness of the opportunities offered by digital careers and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines.
At the heart of this meeting, the results of a joint study conducted by MEGA and WIDE ANDCO were presented. It shows that gender stereotypes and the influence of the school and family environment hinder girls’ access to ICT pathways. In the professional world, women still face obstacles such as sexism, lack of female role models and an uninclusive environment.
Yuriko Backes, Minister for Gender Equality, stressed the importance of ensuring equitable access to digital resources for girls, while Elisabeth Margue, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for Media and Connectivity, recalled the importance of parity in achieving the objectives of the European Digital Decade. A round table with professionals from the sector highlighted the diversity of pathways and the transformative potential of ICT.