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AREZOO RIAHI: Women around the world
have made remarkable strides, socially, economically,
academically.
However, there is still a ways to go.
Cultural barriers hinder women's presence and advancement
in the fields of science, tech, engineering, and math.
And this is happening here in our own backyard,
in Silicon Valley.
But it's nothing compared to what is happening in the Middle
East and North Africa.
As director of TechWomen, I have the privilege
to work with the very women who are working
to solve these challenges.
I think we started a little early,
I'm going to wait for my slides to catch up.
The root cause this is not a lack of education.
In fact, more women enroll in science and tech
related degrees than men.
The problem is that women are simply not getting hired.
Unemployment is high, and when positions are available,
they're going to the men.
In the Middle East, less than one third of women
participate in the workforce, according
to the World Bank, which is the lowest among all regions.
And if women aren't working, everyone-- their families,
their businesses, and their communities--
are missing out on a contribution
of a key demographic.
I'm sorry, where are the slid-- oh, here we go.
OK.
I'm still going to stand here.
This is our first Ignite talk.
Ha, ha.
OK, so I was in Jordan a few weeks ago,
and the country is facing serious challenges.
With so many refugees from neighboring countries,
their infrastructure cannot accommodate the influx
of people.
And as you can imagine, fixing the gender gap
is just not at the top of their priority list.
And that's why we go to places like Jordan.
We meet with girls, and we inspire them to pursue careers
in science and tech.
We feel this is a way for them to build
a bright future for themselves, and we
do everything we can to support them to be successful.
And the good news is that despite what I just described,
there's a lot happening in Jordan's vibrant capital
of Amman.
Here's a photo of their business park.
It's become the hub for innovation,
and it's a place for thought leaders come together.
As you can see, Google Developers
have had an event there, just a few years back.
And here's where TechWomen has made an impact.
Meet Hannan.
She is a TechWomen alumni from 2013
who works at the business park, where
she launched a startup to teach kids as young as 8 how to code.
This year 30 schools will implement her curriculum
for 40,000 students.
And this is Afnan.
She participated in a program five years ago,
and came home to launch a program teaching kids
about hardware and robotics.
And they're just two examples of alumni going home and making
a difference.
And it is critical for that, because in order
to effect real change, it needs to be
done by the people who are living
in those very communities.
We need to have women to serve as positive role models
and to encourage girls to pursue careers, and inspire
them to stay with it.
But the challenge that they and others face
is that nobody wants to invest in the Middle East today.
And I get it.
You know, there's so much instability,
there's so much risk, and they don't have a robust ecosystem
there.
And this seasoned angels from here
aren't going to go and do that, bridge the gap.
And that's where TechWomen comes in.
We're a network of more than 700 women
helping women from the Middle East,
to Africa, to Central Asia.
And we help each other overcome barriers
and we help our alumni make the impact they feel is most needed
in their local community.
That's TechWomen.
We bring women from 21 countries to the Bay Area
for professional mentorship.
Beyond that, we connect and empower
them with a network of women who have the knowledge, skills,
and will to make things happen.
In those four short weeks, the women
are exposed to innovative ideas and technologies.
And even more importantly, they meet positive role models
and other women leaders.
Those four weeks are just the beginning,
and this is where the impact begins.
While here, the women collaborate with their country
cohorts to devise an action plan to address
social and economic issues.
Our Jordanian fellows, for example,
went back home and developed a program
to support female graduates and increase the number of women
in the workforce.
They, along with five other action plan groups,
won a [INAUDIBLE] grant to make those plans a reality.
These women are the change agents
who know what their community needs firsthand,
and they're taking the bold steps
to make a lasting difference.
Well, challenges are global.
So is the power of mentorship and our network.
We couldn't do it without the support of companies
like Google, who take the time, support, energy,
and inspiration, and offer it to the mentors.
And it's what makes our program a success today.
Silicon Valley has long embraced a culture
of moving fast and taking leaps.
There's so much movement toward greater diversity
and breaking cultural norms.
And we're shaping a movement.
And not only can we set precedents,
but we have the impact to change the globe.
The fact is, when women are healthy and educated,
their children are healthy and educated.
When women are empowered, their families are empowered.
Stronger families means stronger communities,
and it is our hope for a better tomorrow.
Minimal amount of time and effort,
through mentorship, funding, networking,
and simply spreading the word can make an invaluable impact
on one person, like Hannan and Afnan, who went back
home and made a change.
Come visit our booth to learn more.
Thank you very much.
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