Lisbon, Nov. 13, 2024 (Lusa) - Portugal's minister for youth and modernisation announced on Wednesday at the Web Summit that the first national programme for girls in STEM, i.e. science, technology, engineering and mathematics, will be presented at the beginning of next year.

Margarida Balseiro Lopes, who was speaking at the Web Summit on the panel on "Human centred govtech", highlighted three challenges that need to be addressed: the responsible use of technology by children; the digital inclusion of older generations and the gender disparity in the STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] areas.

On this last challenge, the minister recalled that "in Europe, in Portugal, one in five ICT specialists are women".

Currently, "women represent half of the EU's [European Union] population, but we can't even reach 20% of current ICT specialists," lamented Margarida Balseiro Lopes.

When women succeed in STEM, we all win," she pointed out.

And "that's why we're proud to announce that at the beginning of 2025 we'll be presenting the first national programme for girls in STEM in Portugal," she announced.

"This isn't a one-off initiative - it's a national priority, a commitment to ensure that the future of science, technology, engineering and maths is more inclusive than ever," she stressed.

For girls in secondary school, "we must emphasise the opportunities that these courses" can provide, she continued, pointing out that the "time for change is now".

ALU/ADB // ADB.

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