- Thousands of young women across Asia are taking their first steps to change the world by getting inspired to pursue careers in STEM, in partnership with Microsoft
- Microsoft Malaysia is collaborating with Girls in Tech (GiT) to promote STEM education in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, 08 March 2018 – To mark International Women’s Day, Microsoft is launching its #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.
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPp17fd5Aig&feature=youtu.be
Engaging Young Women in Malaysia to #MakeWhatNext
In Malaysia, Microsoft marks this campaign with its partnership with Girls in Tech (GiT) to promote STEM education. GiT is a global non-profit focused on the engagement, education and empowerment of girls and women who are passionate about technology. Founded in 2007, it aims to create a support framework to help women advance their careers in STEM field.
GIT aims to accelerate the growth of innovative women entering into the high-tech industry and building startups. This is achieved through the creation of proprietary, innovative programming and strategic global partnerships
“Women are critical contributors in the digital workforce and a level playing digital field is most important to ensure that the benefits of technology can be shared by all. Our partnership with Microsoft focuses on providing digital skills to empower young women for the 4th industrial revolution and digital era. This is even more crucial given the country’s focus on digital economy and recognizing the contribution of women in the sector,“ said Puan Nadira Yusoff, Managing Director, Girls in Tech Malaysia.
Meanwhile, 2018 has been recognized as the year of Women Empowerment in Malaysia, with the government introducing several new initiatives in the 2018 Union Budget to enable women to perform better in the public and private sector. Among these, is the initiative to increase maternity leave from 60 to 90 days in the private sector, and total maternity leave from 300 to 360 days, with a maximum of 90 days per year in the public sector.
Dr. Jasmine Begum, Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Malaysia and New Markets added, “We laud the government’s efforts to empower women in the country. Solidifying our commitment in making the government’s vision a reality, our partnership with Girls in Tech will develop solutions with a minimum reach of 1 million global citizens.
With the power of technology, we are able to bring women together to shape their future and democratize the world by facilitating learning and skill building through advanced curriculum and programming within the STEM fields. As we work to realize Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, this collaboration and effort will shape social outcomes with innovation and create impact for humanity.”
Inspiring Girls in Asia to Shape Their Future with #MakeWhatNext
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;, 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. |
An addendum on Microsoft’s activities in the region in supporting young women to carve a future with STEM is also included in this release.
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/.
[1] UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Women in Science
[2] UNESCO, Cracking the code: Girls and women’s education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)