Equal is better, and agreed. Almost 30 years ago, at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, attended by 17,000 delegates from around the globe, 189 governments adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It remains the world’s most widely endorsed, and visionary agenda for women’s rights. It was also the first global policy document on women that included a specific focus on girls’ rights.

More girls may be in school today than ever before, but they do not enjoy the same opportunities as boys, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Women make up only 35 per cent of STEM graduates and just 29 per cent of STEM workers. Jobs of the future are missing girls, and at great cost. Closing the digital gender gap in the next five years could yield $524 billion for the global economy.