Girls4Tech programme arrives for young Moroccan girls
Mastercard's Girls4Tech initiative was launched in 2014 as one of the company's flagship inclusive education programmes. With the aim of bringing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields to more than five million girls and young women around the world by 2025, Mastercard has extended the project to 46 countries, translating Girls4Tech into 18 different languages. In fact, according to a UNESCO report on the presence of women in STEM disciplines, only 31% of women who attain higher education worldwide end up choosing science or technology careers in these fields.
In the eighth year of the programme's existence, Mastercard has announced the launch of Girls4Tech in Morocco, for which, according to a press release from the company itself, it has organised a videoconference in which it has worked to bring the fields of science and technology to school girls and young women aged 7 to 12.
"Our vision for Girls4Tech in Morocco is to generate fundamental knowledge in science and technology and develop the essential 21st century skills that girls need for their studies and professional success," said Mohamed Benomar, Mastercard's director for North and West Africa, in the company's statement.
"This unique programme is designed to spark their curiosity for STEM and reveal the practical applications of these skills [...], and also showcases our payment technology: algorithms, encryption, fraud detection, data analytics, digital convergence and the power of our network," added Benomar. Along these lines, the company's director for North and West Africa stressed the importance of projects of this nature in order to increase the presence of women in scientific and technological professions.
Rashid Berrada, director of the Riyadh Schools in the Moroccan city of Casablanca, said that in his classrooms, "science and technology are of great importance".
"Through its innovation and cutting-edge approach, the Girls4Tech programme has enabled our students to approach these subjects with fresh eyes thanks to the tools of digital technology. We look forward to new sessions that will continue to encourage more of our students to consider careers in these fields," said Rashid Berrada.
To date, the Girls4Tech initiative has already reached more than 2 million girls around the world, enabling them to engage in concrete, hands-on activities under the supervision of instructors who specialise in the skills needed to enter technology careers. The programme is based on international scientific and mathematical standards, and, as stated on the official Girls4Tech website, uses Mastercard's expertise in innovation and technology to offer students a wide range of professions; data analysts, software engineers, etc. This is one of the company's initiatives for equality, diversity and the inclusion of women in the world of work.
One of the programme's major milestones came during Expo 2020 Dubai this year, 2022, when Mastercard announced that it had far surpassed its goal of reaching 2,020 Emirati girls as part of the technology and science academic drive. In addition, the company collaborated with the Expo School Programme in honour of International Women's Day.
The role of initiatives such as Girls4Tech is of key importance in Morocco, since, despite the statements made by the ambassador of the Alaouite Kingdom in Panama, Bouchra Boudchiche, on the improvements in schooling and the incorporation of women into the world of work, the truth is that Morocco still faces a great disparity in this regard. Only 24 per cent of the workforce in the country's economy is female, mostly in the countryside, and with few possibilities of accessing higher education.
However, this is a situation that has improved in recent years: according to Boudchiche, Rabat has allocated nearly 6% of Morocco's GDP to promoting equity and equal opportunities between men and women in the period 2015-2030.