In . – 28.04.2022 11:52 (act. 28.04.2022 13:20)
On Girls’ Day at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna, there is a focus on robotics. ©APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH (symbol image)
Top politicians welcomed the girls to the Federal Chancellery in Vienna on Thursday. According to Women’s Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP), robotics will play a role in this year’s Girls’ Day.
This year, girls and young women will once again be encouraged to pursue technical and scientific careers on Girls’ Day. Raab, Minister of Justice Alma Zadić (Greens) and Secretary of State for Youth Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) on Thursday welcomed students aged 9 to 14 at the Federal Chancellery under the title “Technology and Robots”. Several workshops aim to bring women closer to technical job profiles.
Girls’ Day at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna with a focus on robotics
Girls’ Day 2022 is all about robotics, said Women’s Minister Raab at the opening. With the support of students at the Vienna University of Technology, students can control robots and design them on their own. A technical bus with more workshops is waiting in front of the Chancellery. For the girls, there is a painting station and a photo box. There will be a quiz at the end of the day.
“We need a lot of great women who shape our future, and it’s you,” Raab told students. She would also like to give young women and girls an insight into the lives of women politicians.
Zadić: Girls’ Day step towards equality
Zadić also sees Girls’ Day as a step towards gender equality. “Girls’ Day is an important contribution to overcoming outdated stereotypes and classic models that we all have in our heads. It opens up new ways for girls to think about their career choices and encourages them,” said the Minister of Justice.
Rauch’s visit to AGES
Social Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) visited the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) on Thursday. During Girls’ Day, around 60 students were able to learn about the work of AGES, which includes the determination of residues in food, the analysis of medicines and the identification and assessment of possible risks in the food chain.
The aim should be to encourage more young women with the STEM field (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology), said the Minister for Social Affairs. “Every action that helps to break stereotypes and that we stop talking about ‘classic male and classic female work’ is an important contribution”, says Rauch.
Petra Bayr, SPÖ spokesperson for global development, would also like to see more women in technology. “Many girls face obstacles on the way to their dream job that have nothing to do with their suitability, but with prejudices and mechanisms of exclusion in our society,” Bayr said in a broadcast.
Girls Day in Austria
Girls’ Day has been held in some federal states since 2001 to support girls and women in career guidance. The focus is on breaking down the “male professions” in technology or science and making them more interesting for women.