Designing technology with girls in mind

A trawl through information about the impact of information & communication technology (ICT) and girls can be both inspiring and hugely disheartening. Women and girls face significant barriers in accessing communications technology but it is exciting to see what can be achieved when they have the tools. The majority of women, however, in developing countries still have no access to a mobile phone, and when they do, it can be seen as threatening the status quo. Mobile phones hold out the promise of greater autonomy for women but the old barriers remain. Plan International's report Because I am a Girl highlights six factors preventing girls from taking advantage of ICT. Of course these barriers play out in a number of ways depending on the context. To address the barriers it is important to look at both the social and the communication context.