Kingston, Jamaica — 3rd October 2025: A high-level discussion on the important role of women in bridging the digital divide was a highlight of the inaugural CTU Network of Women (CTU-NoW) Leadership Seminar held during CTU ICT Week 2025.
The 1st October event brought together women leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and regional stakeholders for interactive panel discussions, peer dialogues and capacity-building sessions aimed at examining the contribution of women to ICT and strengthening their leadership position in the sector.
“Ensuring that women are not just beneficiaries but leaders and decision‑makers in digital transformation is essential to a truly inclusive Caribbean future,” said Dr. Kim Mallalieu, Chair of the Network of Women in CITEL’s PCC.I and Vice Chair of the Advisory Board for the Network of Women (NOW) in the Development Sector of the ITU (ITU-D) . “Women represent a critical part of the development of our region’s future in ICT and our success is very much dependent on their participation, not only as academic voices, but as hands-on partners at every level of the current global expansion drive.”
A focus of the spirited discussions was the establishment of a road map for a Women in ICT Policy Guide which would assist Member States in mainstreaming gender considerations in digital transformation strategies.
Participants committed to building regional working groups of women in ICT for Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Satellite Connectivity, Internet Governance, Climate Change and Entrepreneurship, sharing best practices and developing policy recommendations to promote gender equity in technology governance and innovation.
The CTU Secretariat also used the first such session to announce the establishment of a Women’s Leadership Fund, intended to support scholarships, mentorship programmes, and women‑led ICT initiatives across Member States.
