Wanted to tell you about the perspective that I gained related to the worldwide economic recovery that I witnessed firsthand during my recent trip out of our country. But first, please accept my best wishes and heartfelt congratulations on today being International Women’s Day.
Officially designated since 1975 as United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace, March 8th, is set aside for reflecting on the progress that has been made, while calling for continued positive change, and celebrating acts of courage and determination by ordinary women. These are the women who are our mothers, spouses, partners, neighbors, and colleagues who have played and are continuing to play an extraordinary role in the history of our communities and of our nation.
Appropriately, this year’s specific Women’s Day focus is on innovation and on the equitable access and use of technology. We all know that our lives and our quality of life is linked to strong technological integration. Whether it be attending a course, calling loved ones, making a bank transaction, or booking a medical appointment technology is involved. These days, it seems as nearly everything goes through a digital process.
However, 37% of women worldwide do not use the internet. By the numbers, 259 million fewer women have access to the Internet than men, even though they account for a little more than half the world's population.
If women are unable to access the Internet or do not feel safe online, they may be unable to develop the necessary digital skills needed to engage in digital spaces. This diminishes their opportunities to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) related fields. Projections are that in the next two decades, 75% of jobs will be related to STEAM areas. For example, as of today, women hold less than a quarter of positions in artificial intelligence.
The United Nations adopted the theme of “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,” to recognize and celebrate the women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education. This theme will launch an exploration into the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities. It will also spotlight the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces and addressing online and information technology facilitated gender-based violence.
Dovetailing with this ‘DigitALL’ theme is that this is also Teen Tech Week as designated by the American Library Association. As digital technology has grown by leaps-and-bounds over the years, some teens have also been left behind. A lack of resources is creating a larger gulf than ever between those young people who are ‘digital natives’ and those who haven’t been able to keep up to date. Libraries are the great equalizer here, as is often true, and this week they are making sure that all teens are taught the skills that they need, while learning to access safe content on the web, and being exposed to a wide range of digital tools that could be at their disposal.
Speaking of teens, did you know that this Sunday, March 12th, is National Girl Scout Day? It was on this day, 111 years ago, that Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the first 18 Girl Scouts of the United States into a troop from Savannah, Georgia. She probably didn’t realize it at the time, but Ms. Low set into motion a national movement that today involves 1.7 million girls and 750,000 adult leaders. Can’t think of a better celebration than heading out right away for a box of ‘new this year’ Raspberry Rally Girl Scout cookies. Raspberry filling, chocolate dipped…what is there not to love about that? Congratulations Girl Scouts!
Finally, and getting back to my initial point, if you haven’t already done so, please listen into my message for this week. It comes to you all the way from the Caribbean island nation of Antigua. My observation is that the world is back in business. The economic slowdown from the pandemic is behind us, and people are on the move, spending money, and roaring back to a cheerful ‘better normal.’
From Where I Sit
