The "Girls Hack Stereotypes" campaign, implemented by One with the support of the Delegation of the European Union, the Women's Rights Center, ICT Cortex and IPC Tehnopolis, focuses on a fundamental challenge: the absence of women from the space where the economic and social future is created. Because, precisely where influence and power are greatest, women's presence is still the least.
"Technology is perceived as a space of equal opportunities, but reality still belies that premise. Although many say that ICT knows no gender, social patterns still determine who enters this space completely naturally and who does not. Girls do not lack talent, knowledge, curiosity, nor access. What they often lack is an environment that will not limit them with predefined expectations. If we constantly tell them what is 'for them' and what is not, we cannot expect them to freely choose paths that go beyond those frameworks. Our goal is not to teach them how to fit in, but how to change this code, or rather - how to hack the stereotype," she said. Jelena Marković Čađenović, communications expert at One.
The initiative on the occasion of the International Day of Girls in ICT, as its creators say, is a call to us as a society to reexamine these patterns together. It is in such an environment that the first shifts occur - which are measured not by statistics, but by self-confidence.
"When I code, I feel like I'm deciding what I can do and what my world will look like. I think programming shows that girls can do anything. This is definitely my choice, and my code," she said. Anastasija Mijović, workshop participant, adding that through the competition of the company One and its partners, she will try to show how she sees breaking stereotypes through her digital work.
The "Programming in Scratch" workshop was implemented with the support of ICT Cortex, with the aim of introducing technology to girls through an interactive and creative approach. As the organization points out, the interest and engagement of the participants confirm that the potential exists, but that it needs to be continuously encouraged.
"The 'Programming in Scratch' workshop aims to break one of the most prevalent stereotypes, which is that programming is not for girls. We are especially pleased that the girls showed great interest, curiosity and, most importantly, genuine enjoyment in the work. Through an interactive approach, they not only acquired new knowledge, but also showed in a very natural way that interest in technology has nothing to do with gender. It is precisely experiences like this that confirm how important it is to create opportunities in which girls can try themselves, explore and recognize themselves in the IT world. As partners in the project, we believe that this is an important first step towards building an environment in which girls not only have access to technologies, but also a sense of belonging," she said. Zorka Vojinović, marketing manager at ICT Cortex.
"Programming showed me that I can create, not just use technology. I don't think there's any reason why girls shouldn't be part of this world, quite the opposite. Gender doesn't dictate interests or career choices," she said. Nina to Markć, another workshop participant.
As part of the campaign, girls are invited to show, through digital works - video, comics, animation or other creative formats, what it looks like to "hack" stereotypes in their world. The works must be sent to One, and the works will be presented on April 21st at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, where the best authors will have the opportunity to share their ideas with the wider public and the IT community.
The continuity of such initiatives is key to long-term change, because it is through repetition and presence that new patterns are built - ones in which girls do not ask permission to be part of technology, but naturally find their place in it.
"Because the future of technology must not have pre-set boundaries, and it is girls who can push them," say all partners in the project.
( One )
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