With the aim of boosting technology vocations in girls and young women, reducing the gender digital divide, and motivating girls to participate in technology careers, every last Thursday of April is celebrated the International Day of Girls in ICT, which symbolizes the global effort to empower and encourage girls and adolescents to study careers related to information and communication technologies.
Various studies and international resolutions that the United Nations has elaborated on the gender gap warn about the importance of girls, and women in general, not only being consumers of technology but also creators, overcoming gender stereotypes. According to UNICEF, compared to boys, girls, adolescents and young women are at a disadvantage in their educational process because the socialization process instills in them a presumed "inability" or "disinterest" to study careers related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
UNICEF also states that without the inclusion of girls, a society's economic and social development will be impossible, and reminds that ensuring equal access to education and STEM careers is an imperative for human rights, scientific prospects and development.
Some global data from UNICEF indicate that:
- Only 17 women have won the Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry or medicine since Marie Curie won it in 1903, compared to 572 men.
- Today, only 28% of all researchers in the world are women. In Latin America, the percentage is even lower: in Chile and Colombia the proportion of women researchers in engineering and technology is 21% and 19%, respectively.
- Young women aged 15-29 are 3 times more likely than young men to be out of education and out of the labour market (ILO/UNICEF).
With the inclusion of digital technologies in everyday life, the spaces for social relationships and forms of entertainment have changed, and in many cases have become more complex, forcing adults to be more aware of the dangers involved and to accompany them in this process of development, inclusion and knowledge at the time of insertion into technology.
In this sense, VU warns about the most frequent dangers to be aware of and to be able to accompany them with a firm step:
Grooming. Grooming is defined as a series of behaviors and actions deliberately undertaken by an adult who uses social networks such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, among others, with the intention of establishing a relationship with a child for online-offline sexual purposes.
Sexting. This is defined as the action of sending photographs, audios or videos of a sexual nature, generally by mobile phone. Behind sexting are cases of revenge, abuse and economic, emotional or sexual blackmail. This modality can cause emotional damage as it could deteriorate the reputation of the person sending the sexual material.
Bullying has spread from the school to the virtual world. The access of children and adolescents to computers, mobile phones and tablets with Internet connection facilitates aggressions at any time and place and, moreover, with greater possibility of anonymity. This type of bullying is carried out through text messages or emails, images, videos and other offensive publications on social networks.
Inappropriate content. This is probably one of the most common dangers for a minor surfing the Internet. The possibility of accessing unauthorized material for their age is always latent, whether sexual, violent or related to topics such as drugs, weapons and gambling among others. Children can come across this type of content while searching for information, playing a game or watching a video, as it often appears in the form of banners, pop-ups or advertising links that redirect them to other websites.
Disclosure of information. Whether consciously in a chat conversation or on a social network, or unconsciously through deception (scams, false offers, sweepstakes or giveaways), a child or teenager can reveal their personal data online without realizing the danger this poses.
Tips for safer online surfing for kids
It is a child's right to have a safe browsing environment: this includes having safe browsers and applications. The use of internet-connected devices should be in ordinary home environments and never in spaces not accessible by an adult.
As the child gets older and enters adolescence, the barrier of isolation from content unsuitable for minors is lowered and care will depend on the quality of the adult's communication with the young person, as well as developing with him/her the appropriate criteria of choice to keep him/her safe.
It is not appropriate for children to have social networks before the age of 14. Cheating and "opening a profile because all their friends have theirs" is not a good start. On the other hand, it should be made very clear that under no circumstances should they talk or chat with a stranger. A good practice can be to open a joint account to accompany the child in their first steps on the web.
"Adults should be aware of these dangers and put aside the belief: "it will never happen to my child". In this context of social isolation, preventive and mandatory as a result of the global pandemic, the use of technological tools and surfing hours of the youngest children has multiplied, which requires greater attention and control by adults. The "not talking to strangers" should also be put into practice on the Internet," says Sebastian Stranieri, CEO of VU.
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