Empowering Young Girls and Fostering Equal Opportunities in Technology Across Mongolia
UNICEF supports Girls’ Code program
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- Mongolian
“This program has helped me a lot, not only by teaching me coding skills but also by helping me to make friends and interact with normal girls” says Enkhmend Davaajav, a 15 year old girl who has a hearing impairment and studies at school #29 in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. As her school is for children with hearing impairments, Enkhmend had very few chances to interact and make friends with children with no disability.
Girls’ Code is a pioneering nonprofit in Mongolia tackling gender inequality in ICT and bridging the digital divide. It empowers young girls with coding skills through a 2.5 month in-person boot camp, preparing them to become future software engineers. In 2024, UNICEF supported a cohort of 30 girls from grades 9-12 from schools in Ulaanbaatar and provincial areas.
At this program, Enkhmend met Doljinsuren Ulziibayar, a 17 years old girl from Bayankhongor province who speaks sign language and helped Enkhmend to communicate with the other participants.
Doljinsuren herself participated in UNICEF supported “Teen Parliament” initiative in 2022, where she met her good friend Namuunaa, who is deaf. Their friendship motivated Doljinsuren to learn sign language, and they kept their friendship even though Doljinsuren returned to her province, Bayankhongor, which is 500 km away from Ulaanbaatar. Namuunaa stayed in Ulaanbaatar.
When Doljinsuren applied and got selected for the Girls’ Code program, she returned to Ulaanbaatar and met Enkhmend. She started helping her immediately to ensure she had equal opportunities.
This summer, Enkhmend and Doljinsuren are part of a group of 30 girls who are selected from 21 provinces and Ulaanbaatar city in the Girls’ Code summer bootcamp at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology. For these girls, the program is their first experience with coding, and since none of their schools teach coding, this program is their gateway to the digital world.
Equal Opportunities for Girls
The Girls’ Code program is dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for girls in technology, a field often dominated by men. It empowers young girls like Enkhmend and Doljinsuren to break barriers, build friendships, and imagine a future where technology and inclusivity go hand in hand. The program encourages girls to pursue their interests in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and gives them the tools and confidence needed to succeed.
Looking ahead, Enkhmend dreams of using technology in the film industry. She is very grateful to her sister, who has been a big support throughout her journey. “My sister was very supportive and encouraged me to enter this program. She must be very proud of me now,” she says with a smile.
Doljinsuren’s message to her generation is one of inclusivity and equal opportunity. “Don’t discriminate, I want everyone to be equal and be like the girls in our program. All our girls try to speak sign language as much as possible,” she says. Her dedication to teaching her friends sign language every morning before classes shows her commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment.
Hamster Cafe project
One of the best parts of their experience has been working on a team project to create a website for “Hamster Cafe.” Along with their other two teammates, they are creating a website for their cafe named “Hamster Cafe” where people can enjoy coffee and spend time with different types of hamsters. The project aims to make the cafe accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. This website has all the information about the Hamster Cafe, the dessert menu, and an introduction to the hamsters. Enkhmend says “there is no cafe like this in Mongolia.”
Building a Better Future
The Girls’ Code program is more than just a coding class; it is a catalyst for change. As the girls navigate their paths, they carry with them the skills and confidence to inspire their communities and shape a brighter future for all.
“Empowering youth, particularly girls, through STEM education is essential for building a brighter and more inclusive future. UNICEF is proud to support young girls in developing coding skills and contribute back to their communities.” – UNICEF Representative, Evariste Kouassi Komlan.
Many participants are eager to share their new knowledge with their communities back in their provinces. For example, Nurjuldyz S, a 15 year old from Bayan-Ulgii province, says “In the past, I participated in the Teen Parliament program supported by UNICEF. Now, I want to go back to my province and teach others what I have learned from these 2 programs.”
Similarly, Ganshatar B, a 16 year old from Bayankhongor province, leads the STEM and WASH clubs at her school. She plans to share her coding knowledge with her schoolmates and said “Together with 15 members of our program, I plan to share what I have learned through the Girls’ Code program to our schoolmates.”
Michidmaa E, a 16 year old from Zavkhan province, was inspired by the leadership qualities of girls from 21 provinces. She aims to become a leader at her school and teach her peers: “Girls from 21 provinces of Mongolia really inspired me in terms of their leadership qualities. So, after completing the Girls’ Code program, I want to become a leader at my school and teach my schoolmates what I have learned.”
Lastly, Anujin N, a 17 year old from Ulaanbaatar city, overcame her initial worries about not having a coding background. She now feels proud and accomplished: “I was worried that I wouldn’t understand the course because I had no coding background. But now, I am proud of myself and feel great that I was able to learn something that I did not know at all.”
These testimonies show the impact of the Girls’ Code program, as participants return to their provinces with the determination to teach and inspire others, fostering a culture of inclusivity and technological empowerment across Mongolia.
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This program is supported by UNICEF with the funding support of Maßvoll Stiftung, under the aegis of the Fondation de Luxembourg.
