The summit aimed to address the gender gap in technology, with global statistics showing a 17% gender gap in internet use and an even wider gap in the least-developed countries. Speakers underscored the importance of making technology accessible to all, particularly women and girls, to build stronger communities and economies.

Ing. Dr. Delali Kwasi Dake, Head of ICTE, emphasised the need to increase female representation in technology. "Girls have a future in technology, and we want to bridge the gap where males have dominated the space for so long," he stated. He highlighted UEW's programmes in ICT education, including the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in ICT Education and the upcoming Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in ICT Education, encouraging students to consider careers in tech regardless of their background or field of study.

Prof. Victus Samlafo, Dean of the Faculty of Science Education, UEW, and chairman of the event, pointed out the significant 17% gender gap in internet use globally, with women and girls in developing countries disproportionately affected. He stressed the need to bridge this gap, highlighting the importance of digital access in education, employment, and entrepreneurship. “The summit aims to inspire a national movement to increase female representation in technology and address the widening gender inequality," he remarked.

Dr. Rosemary Twum, a senior lecturer at the University of Cape Coast and educational technologist, presented on “Empowering Girls in Tech: Unlocking Opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI).” She shared her journey of becoming interested in technology at a young age and encouraged the girls to do the same.

Dr. Twum emphasised the benefits of women in technology, including problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills. She highlighted the need for role models and mentorship to support girls in technology, urging the SHS girls to be bold and fearless in pursuing tech opportunities.

Dr. Patricia Ananga, Head of Accreditation at UEW, underlined the crucial role of women in shaping the future of technology during her presentation on “Conscientising Girls in Technology.” With over two decades of experience integrating ICTs into education and mentoring young women, Dr. Ananga highlighted the transformative power of technology in learning and the need for more women to bring their unique strengths to the tech industry.

She noted that despite the growing demand for tech talent, women remain significantly underrepresented, with only 28% of the global science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce being female. Dr. Ananga called for a fundamental shift in perspective, encouraging girls to pursue tech careers and cultivate a belief in their abilities from a young age. She also stressed the importance of men in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment through advocacy, mentorship, and challenging stereotypes and biases.

Ms. Esther Gyimah, a senior lecturer at ICTE-UEW, presented on “Career Paths and Opportunities in IT.” She underscored the crucial role of women in shaping the future of technology and noted that despite the growing demand for tech talent, women remain significantly underrepresented in the field, with only 20% of women having careers in tech in Africa and the Middle East.

Ms. Gyimah highlighted various career paths and opportunities in tech, including software development, cybersecurity, IT education, AI, data science, project management, and UX/UI design. She also mentioned several scholarships and grants available to support women in tech, such as the Google Scholars Programme, the National Centre for Women in IT, Adobe, Intel, and Hoopa scholarships.

Ms. Belinda Osei-Mensah, a lecturer at the School of Communication and Media Studies at UEW, made an insightful presentation on “Empowering Girls Through Tech: Building Skills for the Digital Age.” She indicated that by 2030, there would be over 80 million jobs in tech globally, but women and girls were underrepresented in the field.

She stressed the importance of developing girls’ digital skills to remain competitive in the job market. Ms. Osei-Mensah encouraged the SHS girls to build their curiosities and explore pathways into the tech space. She highlighted various programmes and initiatives to help girls develop their digital skills, including online courses, coding boot camps, and incubators.

The summit concluded with enthusiastic engagement from the participants, reflecting a strong commitment to bridging the gender gap in technology and empowering the next generation of women in tech.