Intersputnik Joins the Celebration of International Girls in ICT Day

On 28 April 2022, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, hosted the hybrid events held to celebrate the International Girls in ICT Day. The forum was arranged by the Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) jointly with the Ministry for Development of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The events were endorsed by the Network of Women for WTDC initiative of the World Telecommunication Development Conference. As Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, specified in her welcoming speech, International Girls in ICT Day was aimed, first and foremost, at raising awareness of the gender digital divide, promoting STEM education and digital skills training, as well as encouraging more young women to pursue their careers in the ICT field. Ms. Bogdan-Martin emphasized that the event provided a venue for face-to-face conversation and meetings with women who typify successful role models thus giving inspiring examples for others to follow. This was the primary focus of the online dialogue and the hybrid regional roundtable.

Elina Morozova, Executive Director of Intersputnik, took part in the ‘Skills Development - What Are We Offering’ online dialogue. In her speech, she highlighted the value of role models as shining lights for young women striving to make a career in ICT, and noted that the telecom industry in general and ITU in particular have seen plenty of such examples. Ms. Elina Morozova pointed out that the election of Ms. Bogdan-Martin to the post of Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau in 2018 had a groundbreaking impact on women. For the first time in the organization’s century-and-a-half history, one of its Bureaus was headed by a woman, which became a hopeful milestone for the whole ICT sector, as this appointment greenlit professional opportunities for young women.  Elina Morozova mentioned her fellow participants in the online dialogue as examples of enviable careers: Natalia Mochu, Regional Director, ITU Regional Office for CIS; and Sahiba Hasanova, a member of the Advisory Board for the Network of Women for WTDC, an elected member of the ITU Radio Regulations Board (RRB). 

“By celebrating International Girls in ICT Day, we seek to draw attention to such issues as ensuring gender balance and enhancing our common human capital. Both are crucial for the STEM and ICT industries, which, in turn, are vital for global well-being, as they directly affect the standards of living and contribute to everyday comfort,” said Elina Morozova. 

While sharing her experience of ascending the career ladder and working in the Intersputnik team, Ms. Morozova pointed out that technical background is not a prerequisite for a career in ICT. This, however, obliges those willing to embark on a new stage to acquire versatile knowledge and keep honing one’s skills, as well as have a basic idea of technologies and their application. “You won’t make a good lawyer without understanding the ins and outs of the industry where you work,” she concluded. While touching upon her teaching activities, Elina Morozova informed the audience that she was giving a master’s degree course in international space law and telecommunications law, and found out that girls, who made up the vast majority of students, showed a high interest in the technical aspects of space activities and satellite communications. 

Ms. Elina Morozova also stressed the importance of mentorship provided within the ITU framework: “It’s great that ITU offers programmes that allow young professionals to learn from their more experienced colleagues, feel free to ask questions and get involved in the workflow on-the-spot.  STEM and ICT welcome young specialists of the most diverse professional backgrounds to fulfil their potential in various locations and in versatile ways. Such events as today’s panel discussion on International Girls in ICT Day will provide many examples of how to best unlock your potential in high-tech industries.” 

Intersputnik wholeheartedly shares the goals declared by the event organizers. In its work, the Organization attaches great importance to projects and activities that directly or indirectly contribute to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, with ‘ensuring gender equality and empowering all women and girls’ being among top priorities. Intersputnik is proud that the gender ratio in the Organization’s Directorate is approximately 50/50, and what’s more, the key positions (namely, Director General, Executive Director, Chief Accountant) are occupied by women.