By Victoria Kahla, International Programs & Partnerships Director
International Day of the Girl Child is the big one for us at One Girl – a day to focus the world’s energies on achieving gender equality for girls. This year the theme is “Digital Generation: Our Generation” with a focus on closing the gender digital divide. Sounds good…what does that even mean?
The gender digital divide is the term used to describe the fact that way less girls than boys have access to the internet, including access to devices and connection. Globally, boys are 1.8 times more likely to own a smartphone1. The problem goes far beyond access though. Digital literacy is lower in girls – the knowledge and skills needed to use devices and navigate the weird world of the internet safely. Computers, smartphones and digital devices in general are seen to be “boys” things in most countries. Globally, 46% of boys use the internet on their phones, compared to 27% of girls2. Then there is the social stigma around being connected. In my research on the gender digital divide, I heard from girls in Vietnam and India that “Good girls don’t go to internet café’s to play games with boys! Good girls don’t connect with boyfriends (or girlfriends) on social media! Good girls do their chores and leave all that to their brothers.” So, girls miss out not only on the fun and social aspects of being connected and finding online communities they feel a sense of belonging with - but all the other essential things they have a right to, like online learning during a pandemic, accessing information and services about their reproductive health, mobile money, and government e-services.
"We must start to recognise digital skills as one of the essential elements of 21st century literacy, and thus as an integral dimension of the right to education" - Edouard Firmin Matoko, UNESCO
It seems like such a huge problem, but in true One Girl style we didn’t wait around for someone else to solve it. As a response to schools closing in Sierra Leone in 2020 due to Covid-19, we piloted Girl Tok – a program thatlends smartphones to girls, buys them data, and teaches them how to use their smartphone and the internet safely (including how to verify information and not get stuck in fake news loops). Once the girls were confident in using their smartphones, the team in Sierra Leone delivered interactive, fun sessions led by mentors just a bit older than them (because we know girls want to learn from other girls!). We set it all up on WhatsApp, with girls forming small groups of five to complete modules like Well Body, Well Mind; Queening; and My Body, My Choice. We even brought in some local experts on the issues to shoot short, fun selfies offering advice and key information for each topic. To end the program, we handed over to the girls to tell us what they will use their voice for – these smart, strong feminists are well on their way to changing their own lives and the lives of girls around them.
What began as a pilot is now so much more – Girl Tok can be used to engage adolescent girls on any topic that they are interested in. We are already thinking about modules for climate justice, activism and more. It can be completely adapted to local context, co-designed by girls.
Bridging the digital divide won’t happen overnight – but it must happen. The world’s girls and women can’t be locked out of using the internet, particularly now when we have all become so much more reliant on online connection to meet our basic rights like education, decent work and access to health services.
Girl Tok was designed by Yeniva Sisay and Erica Berthelsen, with One Girl's Sierra Leone and Australian programs teams. The video above was created by Anahi Rubalcava and Erica Berthelsen, and features Girl Tok programs participants.
Be part of Girl Tok! You can:
- Donate here
- Find out more about the program
- Read the Evaluation Report for the 2020 Pilot Girl Tok Program
- Partner with us to deliver Girl Tok
References
[1 and 2] UNICEF Gender and Innovation Evidence briefs - Insights into the gender digital divide for girls
