For ALL Women and Girls: Saron Mesele on bridging the digital gender gap

At 23, Saron Mesele is a digital revolutionary. Now in her final year of studying computer science and engineering at Adama Science and Technology University in Ethiopia, she is launching a meaningful career in cybersecurity and protecting digital spaces from cyberbullying, harassment and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

Mesele is among the young Ethiopian women-in-tech pioneers actively lobbying for inclusive spaces and pushing for gender-sensitive policies. To encourage more girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), she organizes digital literacy workshops in schools and communities.

Mesele reflects on the beginning of her own journey, in 2020, when she joined a two-week intensive coding camp with the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI). The programme, which is run by UN Women in collaboration with the African Union and the International Telecommunication Union, trains young women and girls to become programmers, creators and designers for careers in information and communication technology (ICT).

“When I joined the camp, I was in grade 12, standing at the crossroads of my future career. The camp is the turning point which changed my passion for technology into a clear purpose,” says Mesele. Now an apprentice at the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) of Ethiopia, Mesele is not only proud of her outstanding achievements, but of her ability to give back to her community and country.

According to Ethiopia’s National Labour Force and Migration Survey (2021), women account for just one-third of the more than 90,000 people employed in the information and communication sector. Limited access to technology-based devices and low levels of digital literacy are obstructing women from being able to fully participate in – and benefit from – the digital economy. According to Ethiopia’s 2024 “National Report on the Beijing Declaration,” many girls, especially in rural areas, do not have the same opportunities to engage with technology as their male counterparts.

“Growing up as a girl, I often encountered cultural and societal expectations that discouraged me from exploring technical fields. Access to resources and mentorship on ICT was limited in the early stages of my journey,” explains Mesele. “In cybersecurity, I have sometimes been underestimated or not taken seriously. There were times when I felt like I had to prove myself twice as much to earn the same level of recognition or respect as male counterparts.”

To gain the skills she needs for an impactful career, Mesele cannot rely only on the training she receives. It is “the combination of access to the right opportunities, self-discipline and a strong support system” that has been key to her success. “My personal determination to learn ICT kept me going even when things were difficult. I didn’t wait for perfect conditions; I learned more on ICT from free resources and consistent practice. AGCCI and INSA gave me the right platforms to sharpen my skills,” she explains. “It is about what we do with the support we are given, and how we turn challenges into growth.”

Mesele first learned about the Beijing Platform for Action during her studies. As she became more involved in advocacy, she began to see the action agenda as a crucial reference point. “It is incredibly relevant for bridging the gender gap in ICT and STEM,” she says, “especially as it calls directly for women’s access to education, technology and leadership.”

Mesele hopes to one day establish a tech hub – an incubator for young women to innovate and contribute to her country’s digital transformation in cybersecurity, software development and digital engineering. In the meantime, she continues to help train and advocate for young women in her community.

“The future is digital, and it is transforming every aspect of our lives,” says Mesele. To all the young women she advocates for, she adds: “Do not only aspire to access technology. Master it. Harness its power to transform your lives.”