Overview:
A new UN Women coding hub at Wanyange Girls’ School is empowering young Ugandan women with digital skills, aiming to bridge the national gender digital gap.
JINJA, Uganda — UN Women, in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the International Telecommunication Union, inaugurated the Eastern Region African Girls Can Code Initiative ICT Hub at Wanyange Girls’ Secondary School on Oct. 23. The hub is a new effort to advance digital inclusion and empower young women to succeed in the technology sector.
The new facility, supported by GIZ, is equipped with 60 modern computers and will provide hands-on training in coding, digital literacy, and multimedia. It will function as a center for innovation, problem-solving, and leadership development, connecting current students with alumnae of the program.
The project directly targets the significant gender digital divide in Uganda, where only 26% of women are online compared to 45% of men. This gap restricts women’s access to educational and economic opportunities. Closing this divide could generate $524 billion in gross domestic product over five years in low- and middle-income countries, according to World Bank estimates.
“When girls are given access to technology and opportunity, they don’t just participate—they lead,” said Adekemi Ndieli, UN Women country deputy representative. “This hub symbolizes our shared commitment to bridge the gender digital divide and ensure girls are part of shaping Uganda’s digital future.”
The African Girls Can Code Initiative, which began in 2018, aims to prepare girls ages 17 to 25 for careers in information and communications technology and science, technology, engineering and math. The program has reached more than 2,000 girls across Africa, including 240 young women in Uganda under Phase III.
Success stories from the program are already emerging, with alumnae starting ICT businesses and introducing technology courses in their communities. For example, female enrollment in vocational ICT programs in Karamoja increased from 18 to 64, and schools in Lira have added new ICT courses.
UN Women recognized Deborah Basekanakyo, head teacher of Wanyange Girls’ Secondary School, for her dedication. Basekanakyo recently led a student delegation to the UN Women Uganda Country Office, where one student symbolically served as country representative for International Day of the Girl Child.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by officials from the Ministries of Gender, Labor and Social Development; Education and Sports; and ICT and National Guidance, along with Busoga Kingdom local leaders and development partners.
UN Women affirmed its plan to expand the AGCCI program, including establishing another regional hub in Western Uganda at Kyebambe Girls’ Secondary School, to continue nurturing innovation and equality.
“The AGCCI ICT Hubs are not just learning centers—they are launchpads for innovation, leadership, and equality,” Ndieli said.