Women, Technology, and International Development

By Ann Mei Chang
Ann Mei Chang serves as the Senior Advisor for Women and Technology in the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues.

Over the past decade, the international development community has recognized that investing in women is the most direct and effective way to promote economic growth, peace, and prosperity. Around the world, and more recently in developing countries, we have seen the transformative impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly mobile phones and the Internet. The question remains, what might be possible when we put these two powerful forces together by investing in women and ICTs in low-to-medium income countries?

This week, the U.S. Secretary of State's Office of Global Women's Issues and UN Women are convening the first International Forum on Women, ICT, and Development (WICTAD) in Washington DC, where we are bringing together leaders across five continents to explore this fast emerging field. Putting women and technology together has the potential to be one of the highest-leverage opportunities to address the world's development challenges. As ICTs become essential tools in both our personal and professional lives, enabling access to these technologies, delivering relevant applications and services, and ensuring inclusion in the lucrative tech sector will become increasingly critical factors in women's ability to contribute fully to their individual, familial, and societal outcomes.

U.S. Department of State Announces Series of Webinars for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Fields

Washington D.C - The Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, in partnership with the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the global engineering firm CH2M HILL, will host a series of webinars starting November 29th to support emerging women leaders in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields who are studying in the United States as part of Brazil’s “Scientific Mobility Program” (also known as “Science Without Borders”).

The first webinar on “Career Paths for Women in STEM” will focus on the successes and challenges of women leaders in the STEM fields, and will take place at 12:00 p.m. EST Thursday, November 29th. IIE’s Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives will moderate the panel, which will include a top executive from CH2M HILL, a leading scientist from the National Cancer Institute, and a leading engineer from Juniper Networks. To view a recording of the webinar after the event, visit www.iie.org/women.

This series of webinars for women in STEM falls under the U.S. – Brazil Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Advancement of Women signed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim in March 2010. Through the MOU, the United States and Brazil focus on recruiting, retaining, and advancing women and girls in STEM fields. The two countries have jointly conducted numerous professional and educational exchange programs and events to promote these goals.