National Girl Child Day is observed annually to raise awareness of the difficulties girls in Indian society endure. The purpose of the day is to advocate for equal access to education, healthcare, and nutrition, as well as to increase awareness of the unfair treatment experienced by girls. 

Annually, national awareness initiatives are initiated to promote the empowerment of girls. Its purpose is to emphasize the significance of treating all female children with respect and providing them with equal chances while advocating for their education and overall welfare.

AI for all

The AI industry has a significant issue: a deficiency in gender inclusivity and equality for girls. AI-powered technologies have the potential to significantly enhance the well-being of children, as demonstrated by UNICEF's draft Policy Guidance on AI for Children. However, this can only be accomplished by rectifying existing imbalances in the AI ecosystem, such as gender prejudice and discrimination. 

Empirical data suggests that the perpetuation of systemic gender inequalities will persist if females are not meaningfully engaged in the creation of AI systems. By 2022, over 85% of AI projects will produce inaccurate results due to bias. There is an urgent requirement to advocate for equality and increased societal representation in the AI industry since recent research indicates that just 12% of prominent machine learning experts are women, and globally, only 22% of AI professionals are female. This situation emphasizes the necessity of enhancing females' proficiency in digital and AI abilities to reduce the potential disadvantages they may encounter in the future labour market and digital economy without equal chances.

AI literacy programme

It is imperative to prioritize the inclusion of girls in AI literacy programs, considering their limited representation in digital literacy programs as a whole. The report "Towards an Equal Future: Reimagining Girls' Education through STEM" (2020) by UNICEF, ITU, and EQUALS affirms that gender stereotypes influence girls' career aspirations. It reveals that globally, only 18% of female students in tertiary institutions choose to pursue STEM fields, while the percentage for men is 35%. 

STEM education must be inclusive and thorough to allow girls to innovate and implement digital solutions. Specifically, it is crucial to develop AI-powered solutions, known as feminist AI, designed and executed by girls and young women. This approach ensures that their unique requirements are addressed to promote empowerment and safety while reducing gender prejudice to the greatest extent possible.

Conclusion

AI education is crucial in empowering girls in STEM and effectively bridging the gender gap in technology and engineering domains. The AI after-school program offers numerous advantages for females, such as cultivating an inclination towards STEM fields, offering hands-on learning, enhancing their self-assurance, equipping them for upcoming challenges, and inspiring them to pursue careers in STEM industries. 

Promoting greater female involvement in AI education is imperative to provide them with the requisite skills and knowledge to excel in these industries. AI education possesses the capacity to empower girls and foster a future that is more varied and inclusive for all individuals.