WOMEN IN GAMES X UNICEF NEW FRONTIERS IN SKILLS4GIRLS

Women in Games was honoured to visit UNICEF House in New York to take part in a special International Women’s Day event to explore New Frontiers in Skills4Girls.

The event was co-hosted by Digital Grassroots, Government of Finland, Government of Sweden, UNICEF and Women in Games and examined how girls are a leading force in tech and innovation, but that the digital revolution is leaving them behind.

Our Director of Partnerships Lucy Rissik took part in a session with Tanvi Vartak of the UN Youth Envoy Network discussing the theme: ‘As the growing gaming industry is shaping the way millions of boys and girls perceive the world, how can we mobilize this platform as a tool to shape equitable social impact? How can we break the barriers to entry for adolescent girls & women, thereby enabling them to shape the industry from the inside out?’

They discussed the positive impact of games, including the social aspect of gaming that benefits many people, particularly those who are neurodivergent. They highlighted that the pandemic and lockdowns opened up the eyes of the world about video games, and showed that it’s not just teenage boys playing Call of Duty in dark bedrooms.

Lucy and Tanvi agreed that education in particular needs to focus on STEAM, as opposed to STEM, to encourage more girls to consider a career in games and tech, and that schools need to be better versed in understanding what a career in games looks like.

Women in Games Partnerships Director Lucy Rissik said: “It was an honour for Women in Games to co-host this event as part of UNICEF’s Commission on the Status of Women initiative, and it was a privilege for me, personally, to take part in the discussion throughout the day.

“We hope to continue collaborating with UNICEF in our joint goal of supporting women in girls in games and the wider tech space.”