Intel Launches Program to Close Tech Divide for Women
The "She Will Connect" program integrates "Internet access with gender and development programming" and aims to expand the digital literacy skills of young women in the developing world.
Following on the findings of January's Women and the Web report, Intel has launched the "She Will Connect" initiative which aims to reduce the global gender and technology gap and will be initially launched in Africa with the target of reaching 5 million women and reducing the gender gap by 50 percent.
Intel aims to achieve its goals by working with a "diverse range of partners" including governments, global and local NGOs and through an innovative and scalable new platform that features an Online Gaming Platform and a Peer Network to push the concept of digital literacy forward.
The former delivers content through "an interactive, engaging approach for smartphones and tablets in a game-infused environment" that allows learning to take place in a mediated environment, both individually across devices and in the context of a wider peer network. The Peer network also incorporates World Pulse's digital empowerment platform that integrates training into existing digital literacy programs and connects women to "a safe and supportive peer network" that offers a free exchange of ideas, support and mentorship.
"The Internet has transformed the lives of billions of people," said Shelly Esque, vice president of Intel's Corporate Affairs Group and president of the Intel Foundation. "It functions as a gateway to ideas, resources and opportunities that never could have been realized before, but our research shows that girls and women are being left behind. We believe that closing the Internet gender gap has tremendous potential to empower women and enrich their lives as well as all the lives they touch."
At this juncture, it is worth noting that the "She Will Connect" initiative is part of a broader commitment educating women in developing countries which has included a 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action, an "Easy Steps Digital Literacy" training program that aims to reach 1 million women in India and patterning with several governments and organizations in Latin America to provide training with a special focus on fostering entrepreneurial skills.

And the research team had any women in it?
I'm sorry, but this is just an insult to girls. They're not stupid and they know what they want in life. If they want to learn "math", they'll do just fine. I know a lot of engies and the best are usually women in my opinion. They're fewer, yes, but the quality is great.
So, I don't think telling them "we think you're disabled as a person, so you need our manly help" is a good thing to do.
I might be overblowing the meaning behind this initiative, but I hate it when people think that women and men have a different mental capacity (standarized, not special cases) for work. We are different and all, but brute brain work is not one of those differences. Try on preferences and a cultural enrichment next time, but not education IMO. Men are usually the cause of women not getting into technology, not themselves.
Cheers!
Disclaimer: Not my personal views. Just translating what Intel means.
You whacked the nail squarely on the head. The technical difference in raw brain ability between males and females is pretty negligible.
The gap is almost certainly because of stereotypes and peer homophily.
In developing world, the situation may be entirely different (a century behind, perhaps) hence the need of forced/accelerated evolution.
Women are not stupid, but programs like this make me sick. When is it going to stop?
If someone wants to do something, they WILL find a way. That's HUMAN nature.
As far as women are concerned, there are so many in high positions of power, the men vs women thing, is over. Move on with your lives. What, you say it's not over? That women are being oppressed today? Tell that to Hillary Clinton, or Marissa Mayer, Or Selena Gomez, or Jennifer Anniston, or Michelle Obama, or Heidi Klum, or any number of other females in great positions, oh wait, you're "too weak" so you'll have to wait for a program like this but a man could talk to them right away, because they're a man?
Neither a man or female is going to get anywhere close to any of these women, why? Because people these days think you need a crutch for everything, and these women, "they're just lucky." Right? No, they worked hard.
Except in chess.
Except in chess.
Why focus on only these parts of the world?