NEWS

9 July 2007

“TECH AGE GIRLS” CONTEST HELD AT TASHKENT UNIVERSITY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

"Tech Age Girls" (TAG) Contest was held on 9 July at the Tashkent University of Information Technologies (TUIT). The competition was organised within the frame of the UNDP "Capacity building for Internet technologies development and promotion in Uzbekistan" Project.

Women's Committee of Uzbekistan, UNPD Projects "The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women" (CEDAW) and "Assisting the Government of Uzbekistan in the formulation and implementation of ICT for development policy" (ICTP), UN Informational Center and TIUT Woman Resource Center helped organize the event.

The representatives of the World Bank, National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO, Uzbek-Japanese Human Resource Development Center, Westminster International University in Tashkent, and Sarkor-Telecom Company were invited to attend the opening ceremony.

"Tech Age Girls 2007" Project aims to introduce the opportunities offered by the IT sector to merited and promising females of Uzbekistan and help them develop their leadership skills. In February 2007, project participants were identified through the initial selection conducted from among girls aged 12 through 16. Project framework envisaged that participants would develop their IT skills, adopt knowledge from the successful businesswomen of the ICT sphere, come up with their own projects, which, in turn, would encourage them to join one of the most promising areas of the world economy.

In February-May, 35 TAG Project semifinalists were provided consultations on modern advanced technology: starting with IT fundamentals and ending with web design and publishing. The semifinalists were selected from among over 100 applicants from different regions of Uzbekistan. Within the framework of this selection stage, more than 30 innovative blogs were created in Russian and Uzbek languages. Young ladies created about 25 personal websites on the role of women in local community. Participants interviewed businesswomen and shared the information about their activity, achievements, personal qualities and opinions distinguishing these women as leaders on their websites.

Now, 14 finalists – talented students of secondary schools of Andijan, Namangan, Kashkadarya, Ferghana, Surkhandarya regions and Karakalpakstan Republic will take part in summer consultation to take place on 8-22 July. They will attend an advanced training on web-design, web-programming, the methods of providing consultations, and leadership qualities. They will also participate in the UNESCO session on "Millennium Development Goals in Uzbekistan". The summer consultation participants will take part in a series of meetings at the Senate of Oliy Majlis (parliament) of Uzbekistan, the World Bank's Uzbekistan Office, ICTP, UN Informational Center and TUIT. They will go through internships at the World Bank, UN Informational Center, UNDP CEDAW and ICTP Projects, Female Resource Center of TUIT, Uzbek-Japanese Human Resource Development Centre, Westminster International University in Tashkent, and Sarkor-Telecom.

Upon completion of the summer consultation, the last two days the girls will spend preparing and making the presentations on the project plans for schools and communities in their regions. They are expected to become advanced ICT users and adviser-volunteers who will promote the use of Internet and creation of web-resources for educational purposes for the women of Uzbekistan.

Source: UzReport