In the developing world, girls need new skills and capacities for the 21st Century. They need to have the ability to be flexible, adaptive, and innovative to grow into positions of influence in their communities and countries.

Does ICT education help girls?

Yet - as we learned in the Gender Equality in ICT Education discussion - just getting girls to secondary school is a challenge, and once there, girls often shun ICT's unless they have strong mentors and female role models.

Please join us Thursday, January 28th, as Linda Raftree, Social Media and New Technology Advisor for Plan International's West Africa Regional Office, leads us in a discussion of three pertinent questions:

1. How can the technology and international development communities support the development of girls?
2. What role does ICT play in facilitating girls' growth?
3. And where are the concrete examples that prove ICT is a net positive for female progress?

We'll also try to identify case studies, partners, and further research around girls development and ICT for inclusion in Plan's Girls at the Cutting Edge of Change Report, now underway.

Improving Girls Development with ICT
January Technology Salon
Thursday, January 28, 8:30-10am
UN Foundation Conference Room
1800 Mass Avenue, NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20036 (map)

Do note that we'll have hot coffee and Krispe Kreme donuts for a morning rush, but seating is limited and the UN Foundation is in a secure building. So the first fifteen (15) to RSVP will be confirmed attendance and then there will be a waitlist.

Addition January Technology Salon Events

I'm pleased to announce two other events supported by the Technology Salon in January. Each event is organized independently, so contact the respective event sponsors for details:

• NYC Mobile Tech Salon - January 20th
  MobileActive is organizing a conversation in New York City around how mobile phones can empower grassroots NGO's to effect change:
  
  Mobile Campaigning and Tools on a Shoestring
  Wednesday, January 20th, 6-8pm
  Digital Democracy
  109 W 27th Street, 6th floor,
  New York, NY 10001 map)


• USAID Daybreak Discovery - January 27th
  The Business Growth Initiative project of USAID is examining the impact of public-private partnerships in Asian & the Middle East:
  
  Economic Growth Alliances in Asian & the Middle East
  Wednesday, January 27th, 9-11am
  Smith School Business Suite
  Concourse Level, Room C-3
  International Trade Center
  1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC 20004 (map)