Girls in ICT, Vol. 3: Technology needs more women's voices, courage and stories

On 23 April 2026, on the occasion of the International Girls in ICT Day, an international webinar was held, which brought together experts from the fields of technology, artificial intelligence, robotics and cybersecurity from Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia and Portugal. Through personal stories, experiences and reflections on the future of the digital world, the speakers have shown that technology is no longer just a field of programming, but a space of creativity, cooperation and social impact. 

The event highlighted the importance of involving girls and women in the technology sector and opened a debate on the competences of the future, stereotypes and opportunities that the digital society brings.

Technology is not just coding.

One of the key thoughts of the event was that we need to broaden our understanding of what working in technology actually means.

Jana Matoušková from Microsoft pointed out that IT is not only programming, but also connecting people, creativity, design and problem-solving. Today, she runs Girls Nail IT, bringing technology closer to high school students through hands-on workshops, real-life stories and industry role models. 

She stressed that it is personal stories and contact with people from the industry that can help girls perceive technology as a space of opportunity and development.

The same was pointed out by Eva Pirc from Slovenia, who started her career in the field of biomedical engineering, and today she is working in the development of electronics. She stressed that technical competences are highly transferable and that it is often only through testing different fields that young people discover what they are really interested in. 

“If girls never try, they can’t know they’re interested”

Eva Pirc also sent a strong message, pointing out that we often address mostly girls who are already interested in technology, while many do not even have the opportunity to meet her. In her view, technology and engineering content should be much more integrated into primary school curricula. 

It is early contact with technology that can be key to developing self-confidence, exploring interests and breaking stereotypes about who the technology is “intended for”.

From video games to cybersecurity

Zuzana Pechová from the Czech Republic, who developed her love for technology through science fiction and video games, made a special impression. It was the games that helped her develop English, technical thinking and interest in computer science. 

She also spoke openly about the feeling of loneliness in the predominantly male environment of the technology industry. That's why she co-founded the Cyber Ladies community, which offers support, mentoring and a sense of belonging to women in cybersecurity. 

Her story opened up an important debate about stereotypes and the inclusion of women in tech professions. Speakers agreed that encouraging girls alone is not enough; change must become the responsibility of society as a whole.

Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Power of Interdisciplinarity

Nermeen Ghoniem from Denmark revealed that her love for movies and her desire to create robots inspired by Star Wars brought her into the world of technology.Today, she works in the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and her story proves that children's curiosity can grow into a successful international career. 

Katarína Marcinčinová from Slovakia, who comes from a philosophical background and today works in the field of intelligent technologies, also offered a very interesting view. She pointed out that technology today needs interdisciplinary approaches, understanding society, ethics, ideas and the impact of artificial intelligence is becoming as important as technical knowledge. 

We need more than words of support.

Ms Cláudia Mendes Silva from Portugal stressed that not only encouraging campaigns but also concrete actions, mentoring, access to opportunities and long-term support for women during their studies and after motherhood were enough to increase women’s involvement in technology.

She also highlighted the importance of linking technology to societal impact and creating solutions that benefit communities.

In the concluding part of the event, the speakers stressed that the question of women's representation in technology is not only a question of individuals, but a question of the development of the whole society, innovation and the future of the digital world.

The Girls in ICT event,vol. 3, was thus not only a discussion about technology, but above all a reminder that the future of the digital world is created through knowledge, courage, community and the opportunities we give to young generations.