Microsoft celebrates International Women’s Day by encouraging young women in Asia to #MakeWhatsNext

| Microsoft News Center

Thousands of young women across Asia are taking their first steps to change the world by getting inspired to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math, in partnership with Microsoft

To mark International Women’s Day, Microsoft will be driving multiple events and programs at its offices, as well as in schools and with public and private partners to launch the #MakeWhatsNext campaign. The campaign aims to encourage young women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

Inspiring Young Women to Positively Shape the Future through STEM in Asia
Today, the number of women pursuing STEM education and careers is still low despite technology making tremendous progress over the last few decades. UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics (UIS) estimates that only 23% of researchers in East Asia and the Pacific are women[1] and only 35% of all students enrolled in STEM-related fields of study are female[2].

One of the reasons for this gender imbalance in STEM subjects is the lack of role models for young women to be inspired by, and grow confidence in the ability to pursue careers in those sectors. In fact, only 1 in 4 girls aged between 12 to 19 years of age in the region[3] know a female public figure in the field of STEM.

“We want to change the way young women view STEM by letting them envision how technology, science, engineering can be tools used to solve global challenges; how their interests today could turn into a job of the future. We’re inviting girls to explore their passions further and gain insights from LinkedIn on how to make their dream job a reality. To make it happen, we are introducing all girls, including those from underserved communities, to female role models from different industries as well as hands-on, purpose-driven experiences where STEM concepts are linked to real-life situations,” said Dr. Daiana Beitler, Philanthropies Director, Microsoft Asia.

To mark International Women’s Day, Microsoft will be releasing a micro-film profiling five extraordinary female role models from Asia, who are using STEM to invent new ways to change the world. Among them, Melisha Ghimere, co-founder of Echo Innovators and Microsoft’s Imagine Cup finalist, has developed the FarmLi solution for farmers in Nepal to better manage their livestock and increase food security; Mikaela Jade, an entrepreneur who is preserving Indigenous culture with augmented reality apps that bring Indigenous stories to life; and Felicia Chua, COO from Coding Garage, who is building the next generation of innovators through computer science education for all.

Engaging Young Women in Hong Kong to #MakeWhatsNext
In Hong Kong, secondary school girls and educators will take part in Microsoft DigiGirlz Day on March 29. The signature event is designed to encourage participants to #MakeWhatsNext and shape their future with STEM. Getting more women into STEM requires a holistic, integrated and forward-looking response that spans across sectors. The 3-hour workshop will be interactive sessions covering topics including the latest trend of technologies, career inspirations and a taste of coding.

Inspiring Girls in Asia to Shape Their Future with #MakeWhatsNext
Microsoft, along with partners from both public and private sectors, are driving activities to inspire girls to pursue their passion in STEM across the entire region – even beyond March 8.

These activities address three key areas to encourage women to step into STEM-related careers:

  • Increasing exposure to role models in STEM
  • Creating opportunities for hands-on experiences that show how STEM can shape the future
  • Helping individuals to envision a future with STEM
Inspiring the next generation with female and male role models
  • As part of the new DigiGirlz School Connect program, Microsoft female and male employees in the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam will reach out to girls in their alma mater and other schools to inspire their juniors to explore career options presented in the tech industry.
Experience STEM through hands-on, purpose-driven activities
  • Young women in China, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Sri Lanka will have opportunities to experience the power of STEM through various computer science workshops meant to develop their critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
  • Microsoft is also conducting several hackathons and science fairs to encourage purpose-driven innovation among participating girls. These activities include the Science Fair in Cambodia; the 1District 1Application (1D1A) event in Malaysia to develop solutions addressing district issues using technology, as well as a hackathon in Thailand in partnership with UNESCO to develop solutions for cultural preservation and peace in ASEAN.
Envisioning a future with STEM
  • To inspire girls to consider a career in STEM industries, Microsoft is partnering with LinkedIn in China, Hong Kong and Singapore to help girls envision the jobs of the future through building up their soft skills as well as networking sessions.
  • In Japan, Microsoft will conduct a series of initiatives to encourage women to rejoin the workforce through telework opportunities. This includes reskilling opportunities, as well as career readiness sessions conducted by LinkedIn.
  • In Korea, the Women@Security Summit will see more than 150 young women learn about the opportunities in one of the hottest sector, cybersecurity.

To learn more about #MakeWhatsNext, visit http://www.makewhatsnext.com/. To find out more about Microsoft Philanthropies’ initiatives in Asia, visit https://news.microsoft.com/apac/category/philanthropies-asia/.

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