Empower the next generation of girls in technology

As we reflect on 2024, Chicas en Tecnología (CET) looks back on a year of great growth and innovation, with focus on social impact. Through new formats and disruptive themes, we have paved the way for a more inclusive tech future. Our mission remains: to break barriers and expand opportunities for young latin-american women in STEM fields, providing them with the tools, mentorship, and community needed to succeed.

In 2024, 2,376 young women aged 13 to 23, from 20 countries across Latin America, embarked on or took their next steps in their technology journeys by participating in one or more of our 14 free training programs and activities. These initiatives, designed to enhance technical expertise and foster professional growth, are integral to our comprehensive approach to education and empowerment.

This year, we broke the mold and offered a blend of in-person, virtual, and hybrid experiences. These included festivals, intensive trainings, scholarships, personalized support, company visits, an escape room designed to teach logical thinking, and even our debut TV series, which now brings learning opportunities to urban and rural schools and households across Latin America via satellite.

OUR COMMUNITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT

We carried out the first edition of CensoCET, a survey designed to gain in-depth insights into the journeys, experiences, and interests of all the young women who have ever participated in Chicas en Tecnología's programs and initiatives. This data allows us to understand how their paths have evolved and refine our efforts to amplify impact across the region. Here are some key findings:

• 50% of those young women who pursued university studies are enrolled in degrees related to information sciences, technology, or engineering.

• 90% expressed interest in working in STEM fields after participating in CET programs. Among those currently employed, over 40% already work in technology-related roles!

• 20% of the surveyed population comes from vulnerable contexts.

As part of the EmbajadorasCET(CET Ambassadors) program, participants themselves design and lead initiatives that turn their ideas into actions, inspiring other girls across the region and reinforcing our commitment to building a community where every young woman is heard, valued, and empowered to drive change through technology.

Throughout 2024, these graduates played key roles as panelists, tutors, and mentors, driving motivation and contributing to training programs while leading impactful communication campaigns to raise awareness about the gender gap in tech. Over 60 latin-american young women from 5 countries were actively involved in organizing the Chicas Líderes en Tecnología festival, contributing to its design, themes, and activities, and inspiring the 1,700 girls that attended. Additionally, 68 new Embajadoras CET completed our Leadership Program, equipping themselves with the tools, skills, and confidence to lead initiatives and advocate for closing the gender gap in technology.

SCALING FOR IMPACT

We launched La brecha que persiste (“The Persistent Gap”): a pioneering and census-based study on the gender gap in university education across six Latin American countries. This research provides unprecedented data to assess women's participation in STEM fields through the analysis of official statistics. Through the development of a proprietary methodology, we ensure rigorous, cross-sectional measurement of this data, enabling scalability over time, trend identification, and comparative analysis. This approach generates unique, region-wide indicators that provide invaluable insights into the persistent challenges and opportunities in closing the gender gap in technology. 

Access the main findings and full reports in Spanish at https://chicasentecnologia.org/labrechaquepersiste/ 

WHAT'S NEXT IN 2025?

This year Chicas en Tecnología celebrates its 10TH ANNIVERSARY: a decade of impact, innovation, and transformation.

We will continue expanding opportunities for young women across Larin America, empowering their academic and professional journeys in technology. With new formats, strategic alliances, and a renewed commitment to inclusion, we are ready to take the next step in our mission: building a more diverse and equitable future where young women lead the way as agents of change.

Let’s ignite change — join us in empowering young women in tech!

Links:

• Join us on Instagram to celebrate CET's 10 years of impact!

As we near the end of 2024, we see a year filled with growth, innovation, and the continued expansion of opportunities for young women in technology across Latin America. Our mission at CET remains steadfast: to break down barriers and build pathways for young women to thrive in STEM fields. Through new programs, strengthened collaborations, and impactful events, we have reached thousands of young women, offering them the tools, mentorship, and community support needed to navigate and succeed in the tech world.

Festival Chicas Líderes en Tecnología

On October 16th, we hosted the 11th edition of Chicas Líderes en Tecnología ("Girls Leaders in Technology"), our annual event designed to inspire and empower young women in STEM fields. This year’s edition was particularly special as it marked the first in-person edition since 2019, embracing an exciting festival format. Attendees had the opportunity to enjoy inspiring talks and panels, hands-on technology workshops, interactive booths from top tech companies, a university fair, and a wide range of other activities.

Held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the event welcomed over 1.100 girls aged 13 to 23 on-site, while an additional 700 participated virtually through streaming. For more information about the festival, visit www.chicaslideres.com.

Front-End course graduates' project presentations

Over 70 young women from low-income families in Buenos Aires, aged 15 to 23, presented the web development projects they created during the 3-month hybrid course.

At CET, we always encourage girls to think about technology for social impact, challenging them to develop technological solutions that address issues they themselves identify in their communities.

On this occasion, the participants created websites focused on topics such as mental health, job placement, animal protection, sustainability and the environment, awareness of gender and diversity, and the promotion of organizations working in vulnerable neighborhoods, among others.

Congratulations to all the graduates!

We would also like to highlight that both the teacher and the tutor of this course are EmbajadorasCET (CET Ambassadors): young women who have completed and graduated themselves from CET’s tech and leadership initiatives, and have grown into inspiring role models and mentors for the next generation of participants.

First edition of our Data Analytics course

We carried the first edition of our free Data Analytics intensive course, developed with the support of the European Union, as part of our joint project Fortaleciendo la trayectoria en STEM de mujeres jóvenes de Argentina ("Strengthening the STEM pathways of Young Women in Argentina"). Over 2 weeks, Approximately 100 latin-american young women aged 16 to 23 (60 from Argentina and 40 from other engaged in both theoretical and practical lessons that introduced them to the world of data, while equipping them with essential workplace skills. Participants learned to use Tableau for effective data analysis and explored various data analysis techniques, data visualization methods, and ethical considerations in data usage.

Upcoming: Presentation of New Research on the Gender Gap in Technology in Latin America

In 2022, we launched the study Una carrera desigual ("An Unequal Career"), which analyzed over 7,000 university degrees from Buenos Aires and Córdoba, Argentina. Our goal was to explore women's participation in the Argentine university system, focusing on what they are studying and assessing the extent of the gender gap within this space.

This year, we have decided to expand the scope of our research to the regional level. We examined and compared women's roles within university systems across several Latin American countries. The findings from this latest CET study will be presented next month and will provide valuable insights into the progress and challenges faced by women in higher education. By deepening our understanding of these gender disparities across the region, we hope to inspire meaningful action and contribute to the creation of more inclusive academic and professional environments in technology for women throughout Latin America.