World Youth Skills Day 2026: Letter from a young advocate working in AI

The digital divide: Some girls are being left behind in the AI era 

More than 90% of all jobs worldwide now require some level of digital skills. Yet data shows that for every 100 boys and men with basic digital skills, only 65 girls and women have the same knowledge.  

This digital divide—the unequal access to technology and digital literacy training—stems from inequalities that often begin in childhood. Many girls, especially those growing up in poverty or without parental care, never get the opportunity to develop the skills needed to pursue a career in the digital economy.  

Only a quarter of the global AI workforce is made up of women, with less than 15% holding decision-making roles. In the following letter, Hasina advocates that closing this gap requires deliberate action—from governments to companies, schools and families.  

From Madagascar to the frontlines of AI: One young woman's mission for change 

“My name is Hasina. I arrived at SOS Children’s Villages in Madagascar 22 years ago, at just two months old.  

Growing up at SOS, I always heard I was capable of more than I thought. I had opportunities to discover my strengths and put my ideas to the test.  

Even as a child, I had a passion for numbers. My interest in technology started in high school—I dreamed of creating my own video games. As I got older, I realized that digital tools could provide practical solutions to everyday challenges, and that this is what I want to focus on in life. 

In high school, I entered Madagascar’s entrepreneurship competition to present a project about raising silkworms and transforming silk into fabric. I won seed funding to make it real. 

Through SOS Children’s Villages’ cooperation with the non-profit Passerelles Numériques, I completed a pre-university year in IT and digital skills and travelled abroad for the first time. This gave me the confidence to pursue a career in computer science. More young women should have access to similar opportunities, with clearer pathways to education, training and employment. 

Today, I study artificial intelligence engineering and data science. As part of a youth association focused on Green IT, I explore how technology can help protect the environment—a topic crucial for my generation and for Madagascar, which is among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. 

Across my work and studies, I see young women already creating positive change in information and communications technology (ICT). What we need is greater digital inclusion so we can do this at scale. It cannot wait because artificial intelligence is already shaping how we live, learn and work now. 

For many girls, access to science and technology is still blocked before they ever enter a classroom—leaving their perspectives out of AI systems. 

Learn how SOS is helping women and girls bridge the digital divide. 

The hidden barriers blocking girls from tech 

Every young person has the right to be safe and to access education—so they can fulfill their potential. But this reality is different in Madagascar. Many children, especially in rural areas, are working instead of going to school. Some don’t have enough to eat, and others walk long distances just to find water. Because of extreme poverty, families struggle to survive—and children are the first to suffer. 

For young girls, the challenges are even greater. Some face sexual violence or are pushed into sex work, which can lead to early pregnancy and dropping out of school—cutting off their chances to pursue a career. 

This is how, without consistent support and access to learning, girls are excluded from opportunities in technology before they have the chance to develop basic skills. In the rural areas of Madagascar, limited access to electricity, internet and devices further deepens this divide. 

Even when families have the means to support digital education, boys are often encouraged more than girls, reflecting persistent beliefs that women do not belong in technical fields. Those who start their careers can still face discrimination. 

Read how women’s economic empowerment breaks worldwide cycles of poverty.   

Inclusion into the technology workforce should mean fair working conditions and protections from harm. But today, a large share of the invisible labor behind AI is carried out in precarious conditions by outsourced, low-paid workers, many of them women from underserved communities. Often, their livelihoods depend on exploitative work in data labelling or content moderation, where they spend hours exposed to distressing content, with serious impacts on their mental health and little to no support in place. 

Expanding meaningful digital inclusion requires action across multiple fronts—from tackling poverty and inequality to challenging the stereotypes that keep girls and women out of decent jobs in technology. 

From policy to practice: A call to action to close the digital gender gap 

Governments have a critical role to play: strengthening social protection so families can meet basic needs, investing in reliable electricity, making internet access more affordable, and ensuring that schools and community centers have the resources needed to build digital skills. There must be policies in place to protect both children and adults from harmful content and prevent hazardous work. 

I want decision-makers, from tech CEOs to politicians, to understand that women succeed in technology when they are given the same opportunities as men. Acting on this means investing in training, mentorship and stronger support for girls in STEM—so we can prepare to strengthen our economies and use AI as a tool for good. 

To respond to the challenges of my generation, governments must listen to young people and support the solutions we are already developing. For example, initiatives like the Green IT youth association, where we work to reduce the environmental impact of technology by reusing and repairing devices, while also finding ways to make digital tools more accessible to those who need them most. 

Meet more young people advocating for a greener future. 

Representation matters too. When girls see women in ICT leadership roles, it’s motivating, and shows them they belong in the field. This gives me hope—seeing more of us achieving great things and supporting each other in a growing community that is opning doors for future generations.  

For girls and women, artificial intelligence creates new opportunities—from accessing education and healthcare more easily, to entering developing fields such as data science and AI ethics. We can use this technology to respond to real challenges in our communities. But we cannot ignore the risks it poses—not just those in precarious work. One major risk is perpetuating gender inequality. AI built on data that reflects existing stereotypes can reinforce harmful biases and exclude women. 

AI should help us, not work against us. When used wisely, it supports our creativity and work without limiting our potential. Technology can be fair, inclusive and a tool for positive change for girls and women—but only if more of us are meaningfully involved in shaping it. The systems influencing our future cannot be built without us.” 

Delivering the digital skills young people need to thrive 

Hasina's story is a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when young people are given the knowledge, tools, and support to thrive. From a childhood at SOS Children's Villages in Madagascar to studying artificial intelligence engineering and advocating on the global stage, her journey shows us that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.  

Other girls and young women are still struggling to bridge the digital divide—unable to afford the higher education and skill training required to launch a career in technology.  

But your gift to the SOS Independence Fund can change that.  

When you make your gift to the SOS Independence Fund, you deliver the skills, education and support young people need to build successful, independent lives.  

Today, your SOS Independence Fund gift can open the door for more young women like Hasina to step into the digital economy, shape the future of AI and lead the change their communities deserve.  

Together, we’re helping young people create a brighter future!

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