Description of the project:

The number of the Campaign’s supporters has reached 684 (as of April 2017). To further accelerate the efforts for encouraging women students and others to choose STEM science and engineering, the Women in Science and Engineering Support Network, comprised of members of industry, academia, and government, is being developed on a full-scale basis since FY2016. With the cooperation of these supporters, the Campaign holds summer events, mainly for female junior high and high school students over their summer break, which include visits to STEM science and engineering workplaces, hands-on experience, and facility tours. In 2016, 90 organizations held 144 events nationwide. Approximately 12,000 people attended the events. Additionally, a website was established that publishes information on events, messages from women in STEM science and engineering who serve as role models, and messages from companies and universities that support women in science and engineering. In October 2016, a symposium on promoting the active participation of women engineers was co-organized by the Cabinet Office and the Japan Association of Technology Executives. Many people participated in the symposium, including men and women in management and managerial positions, junior women engineers, and women students of STEM science. The participants listened to frank opinions first-hand accounts of women engineers who have been appointed or recruited to management positions, and deepened their understanding about women working and continuing to work as engineers.

Area of focus of the project:

• access and affordability of ICT to women and girls
• non-formal training opportunities for women and girls in ICT (coding schools)
• increasing participation of girls in ICT studies (mentoring programmes, career counseling)
• information and awareness-raising campaigns