How might girls lead as much
as they
play in the world of gaming?
Building a More Inclusive Digital Future
UNICEF Office of Innovation / Game Changers Coalition
CHALLENGE
Today, girls represent half of all gamers around the world, but only a quarter of coders. Despite investment in girls’ skills development and in STEAM, few opportunities exist for adolescent girls around the world to transfer these skills to a career in the gaming industry.
Girls are players, not yet leaders.
FIRSTHAND INSIGHT
A girl-centered approach to reimagining gaming is only possible when they have a seat at the table to be exposed to new opportunities and participate in dreaming up new possibilities. The approach is naturally gender-transformative, as adolescent girls recognize the need to involve boys in initiatives early-on and to actively shape the future of the industry.
Girl-centered approaches are inherently inclusive.
Co-create a roadmap for an inclusive digital future.
SOLUTION
UNICEF Innovation’s Game Changers Coalition and Firsthand hosted a 2 day workshop in Stockholm, Sweden, gathered 50+ industry professionals and 8 adolescent girls (between the ages of 15 and 21) from around the globe. The purpose was to develop a roadmap to a more inclusive digital future and continue to shape the values and activities of the Game Changers Coalition with inputs from the room.
OUTPUT
In just 2 days, participants moved from a blank slate for their involvement in the Game Changers Coalition to 3 focused pillars with relevant activities under each. A formal launch event taking place in 2024 will expand and clarify their programming and build an online, asynchronous curriculum for adolescent girls and educators.
FIRSTHAND PROVIDED: Workshop design, facilitation, workshop synthesis, campaign architecture
