On 25 April 2013theVideoconference Seminar for the CIS devoted to the International Girls in ICT Day “A Bright Future in ICTs: Opportunities for a New Generation of Women” was held by the ITU Area Office for the CIS in Moscow, Russian Federation. The event was held in a videoconference format.
The seminar was attended by Ms. Dona Scola, Deputy Minister of Information Technology and Communications of the Republic of Moldova, Ms. Natalia Tokareva, programme specialist of the UNESCO IITE, representatives of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications: Ms. Shirin Mukhitdinova, Deputy Head, ICT Department; Ms. Yulia Gutsal, Main Specialist, ICT Department; Ms. Alexandra Makarenkova, Main Specialist, Department of Economics and Finances. Also, Communication Administrations of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, and the Russian Federation, as well as the Odessa National Academy of Telecommunications participated in the seminar through videoconference connection.
At the opening ceremony, the seminar participants were welcomed Ms. Dona Scola, Deputy Minister of Information Technology and Communications of the Republic of Moldova, Ms. Natalia Tokareva, programme specialist of IITE UNESCO on behalf of Mr. Dendev Badarch, Director of UNESCO Moscow Office and Acting Director of UNESCO IITE, Mr. Orozobek Kaiykov, Head, ITU Area Office for the CIS. The audience also listened to the video address of Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau dedicated to the Girls in ICT Day.
Within the framework of Session 1, dedicated to the International and regional organizations, the participants had an opportunity to learn about the UNESCO IITE activities from the report of Natalia Tokareva, of the International Telecommunication Organization from the report of Orozobek Kaiykov and of the RCC from the report of Shirin Mukhitdinova.
Session 2 of the seminar was devoted to professional orientation issues. Within the framework of the Session, the entire audience of the seminar had an opportunity to view the ceremony of awarding of the winners of the thesis competition among school girls dedicated to the Girls in ICT Day on the topic Information Future of Kyrgyzstan, which was organized by the State Communication Agency under the Government of Kyrgyz Republic.
Session 3 presented success stories of women who made successful career in ICT. In particular, the videoconference audience had an opportunity to listen to success story of Ms. Raushan Belekova, Head of Roaming and Interconnect Division of CJSC AlfaTelecom, Kyrgyzstan. She told her success story: in particular, what was her job before ICT, where she got her degree, which allowed her to get employed with the ICT company, and what are her duties now.
The videoconference seminar was concluded by the roundtable where the participants discussed their ICT careers, their work and the way the gender issues are settled in their countries. All the speakers noted that in the CIS, many women are involved in the ICT, however just a few of them occupy decision-making posts. As a rule, women make a career quite quickly till certain level, but when it goes about a management post, the decision is in most cases taken in favor of a male candidate.
The workshop participants thanked the ITU, the ITU Area Office for the CIS for the seminar and the good opportunity to discuss a row of very important issues.
Total number of participants is over 100, including 7 from Russia, 37 from Moldova. 7 participants attended the seminar in the ITU Area Office. Ukraine was represented at the seminar by the Odessa National Academy of Telecommunication (ONAT), ITU-D Sector Member.