Digital technologies have the potential to drive progress across society, but billions, especially women and girls, remain unconnected due to gaps in access and digital skills. World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (17 May) promotes digital gender equality, ensuring that women and girls can benefit from and participate in digital transformation. In 2025, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorates its 160th anniversary, highlighting its role in advancing global connectivity. Join us for a special light show streamed live on ITU’s social media platforms.

“Girls in ICT for Inclusive Digital Transformation" is the theme of this year's International Girls in ICT Day 2025 (24 April). This global initiative serves as a powerful platform to inspire girls and young women to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as well as information and communications technology (ICT). The aim is to empower them to become active contributors to the digital society, economy and ecosystem. Let's work together to make a lasting impact. Join us today and help make every day a celebration of #GirlsinICTDay.

“2.6 billion people don't have access to the internet … if you're not part of the digital revolution, you're not going to be part of the AI revolution – we’ve got to close that gap.”

Doreen Bogdan-Martin’s fascinating career handed her a front row seat for the digital revolution. Now Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), she’s among those leading global efforts to set guardrails on the use of Artificial Intelligence.

“I think we've never seen anything like this before … the plane is in flight and we're building it while we're flying - it's tremendous.”

AI presents huge opportunities for humanity, but also poses great risks. In this episode, Doreen Bogdan-Martin reflects on working to ensure the humane and sustainable use of AI, on connecting the billions around the world who are not yet online, and on juggling a career with four children.

Photo: ©ITU/D.Woldu

From fighting climate change to eliminating hunger and poverty, digital technologies can help achieve 70% of targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goals. World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (17 May) is an opportunity to explore how digital innovation can unlock sustainable prosperity for all. However, with 2.6 billion people still unconnected, many countries struggle to keep up with today's fast-changing digital landscape. This year’s observance reminds the world of the progress yet to be made to ensure that everyone can benefit from digital technologies.

Despite women now constituting 40% of high-skill occupations worldwide, their involvement in ICT-related fields remains disproportionately low. This year's International Girls in ICT Day celebrations emphasize the crucial necessity for influential female role models in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The 2024 event, under the theme of "Leadership," highlights the importance of exposing girls and young women to leadership roles in STEM, aiming to inspire them and dismantle barriers that impede their advancement. Let's support #GirlsinICTday!

AI governance should be a global community dialogue. Now is the critical moment to get it right and ensure a responsible future with AI.

To help bridge the gender digital divide, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) created the International Girls in ICT Day (27 April) to encourage and inspire girls to pursue a future in information and communication technologies. By acquiring the necessary digital skills, young women can also aim for careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and other STEM fields in order to achieve their dreams. From coding to a hackathon, the global celebration, will include a series of events available on the #GirlsinICT Toolkit. Join the celebration online!

In this episode of the ITU Generation Connect podcast, youth and experts discuss the metaverse and its relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Featuring Marcus Shingles (Co-Founder and CEO of Exponential Destiny), Samantha Aguilar (Chief Design Officer and Executive Mentor at Exponential Destiny), Seif Youssef (Generation Connect Arab States Youth Envoy), and Noha Ashraf Abdel Baky (Generation Connect Africa Youth Envoy).

The guests share their personal experiences and professional knowledge on the opportunities of metaverse for achieving SDGs, and how to seize the opportunities of metaverse for a better digital future.

Hosted by Lujie Gu.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in 2002 and 2005, set out to achieve a common vision, desire and commitment to build a people-centric, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information. Since then, WSIS Forums are organized each year, serving as a key platform for discussing the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This year’s WSIS Forum is being held from 13-17 March in Geneva.

The AI for Good Global Summit will demonstrate how new technologies can support the UN Sustainable Development Goals in areas such as combatting the climate crisis and bolstering humanitarian response. 

For the next 5 episodes of Technology for Good, ITU is focusing on technological challenges and opportunities through the eyes of some incredible and inspirational women in tech, in the run up to and during the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, or PP-22. This major event will gather policymakers from ITU’s 193 member states to take decisions that will shape the future of technology, making it greener, more gender and youth inclusive and more accessible to everyone on our planet.

Find out with first-hand insights how Giga is transforming education at the local school G.S. Nyagihunika. Watch how Internet-connected laptops help local educators teach students and make the classroom experience more rewarding and how the benefits of school connectivity also extend to the residents of the Bugesera district.

Share your best “Technology for good” photos and win a prize. The ITU photography contest deadline is 22 July.

As we approach 2030, developing digital skills has become critical to professional success. While young people are often considered “digital natives", the majority of them may not actually possess sufficient job-relevant digital skills to fill vacancies.

The Summit in Kigali, Rwanda (2-4 June) addresses the digital divide and related topics, including digital skills, gender, climate change, online safety, the future of work, and more.