I wanted to start by saying thank you, Governor General, for your remarks and welcome.

And also just to give a really, really big shout out to Emma, I think we should give her a round of applause, because she’s the inspiration, and the future is bright with a young leader like you. So thank you for being here, Emma.

I also wanted to thank all the cohort of co-sponsors that’s represented by the Permanent Representative of Kenya. It’s an impressive cross regional group, but also reflective of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system.

And RASIT for your invitation to deliver these remarks on behalf of the President of the General Assembly.

Throughout the 80th session, the President of the General Assembly has always consistently emphasized the urgent need to close the gender digital divide while ensuring that the rights of women and girls are protected and promoted amid rapid technological change.

Yet too often, we focus only on the challenges and overlook the progress.

Today, I would like to highlight three reasons for optimism.

First–Emma.

Second, while the gender gap remains stubborn, women have nevertheless made extraordinary contributions to science and technology.

From Rosalind Franklin, whose work on X-ray diffraction was critical to discovering the structure of DNA.

To Grace Hopper, whose groundbreaking innovations helped shape modern computer programming.

Their achievements changed the world.

But imagine what humanity could achieve if every girl with talent and curiosity had the same opportunity to learn, to innovate, and to lead¡ªif she was encouraged rather than held her back.

Because the reality is that, far too often, women and girls are held back by negative gender stereotypes, unequal access to education and digital tools, and persistent social norms.

Today, women make up 35% of STEM graduates worldwide, a number ?largely unchanged over the past decade.

The pipeline narrows further after graduation, with women representing just 28% of the global STEM workforce.

Imagine the discoveries still waiting to be made ¡ª the technologies yet to be invented, and the diseases yet to be cured ¨C if we can break down these barriers.

Which brings me to my second point: ?everyone benefits when women and girls are part and parcel of the technological revolution.

Today, around 65% of women are online globally, compared with 70% of men.

The gap is steadily narrowing, and gender parity in internet use has already been achieved in the Americas and Europe.

But digital inclusion is far more than connectivity; when done well, it can lift women out of poverty, expand access to education and healthcare, and create pathways to decent work and entrepreneurship.

It¡¯s simple economics¡ªclosing the gender digital divide could add over $100 trillion to the global economy by 2050¡ªmore than the combined GDP of the United States and China today.

Yet, inclusion must go beyond access. Women must be not only users of technology, but creators, innovators and leaders.

Women¡¯s leadership within technology companies themselves ¨C and at all levels of innovation – leads to better, safer and more representative technologies. In fact, companies with stronger gender diversity in leadership are 39 per cent more likely to outperform their peers.

Including women and girls¡ªfrom simply being online to being at the top of technology companies¡ª is not only a matter of fairness. It is essential for stronger economies, more inclusive societies, and a better future for all.

And third and finally, regulation is beginning to catch up with the scale and speed of technological change, with the United Nations leading the way.

The new Cybercrime Convention, opened for signature in October, establishes the first universal framework to investigate and prosecute online abuse, including the sharing of non-consensual intimate images.

Within just one week, it garnered signatures from over 70 countries ¡ª a powerful demonstration of shared resolve to make the digital world safer.

And the recently announced Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, of which nearly half of members are women, will help ensure that artificial intelligence accelerates sustainable development rather than deepening inequality.

But we cannot stop here.

National laws, multilateral cooperation, and responsible self-regulation by technology companies must continue to evolve ¡ª to reduce bias, strengthen data governance and ensure transparency and accountability in the digital age.

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

The inclusion of women, digital equity, and inclusive governance of technology are central to delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals and building a more equitable and inclusive future.

The task before us is clear: to build a digital future that works for everyone, everywhere.

 

Thank you and happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science.