PHNOM PENH--Kao Menghorng, Co-founder of Girls In Tech and a member of UNICEF's Global Girl Leaders Advisory Group, delivered a powerful and inspirational speech on March 10 at the side event of the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) during the launch of POWER4Girls: Invest in Girls, Transform the World.

During her speech, Menghorng began by sharing her own journey of overcoming systemic barriers that prevented not only her but many other women and girls from pursuing their educational dreams, particularly in the STEM field.

However, she set an inspiring example by breaking barriers and gaining expertise in technology through her journey with Technovation. Throughout this mermerizing journey, Menghorng not only transformed herself but also identified ways to contribute to Cambodian society through initiatives to empower other women and girls to pursue their dreams in tech.

She believes in collective action among women and girls, as it would significantly improve society while fostering a better future for all.

“When girls come together, we shift social norms, challenge outdated beliefs, and pave the way for the next generations,” Menghorng said, adding that achieving this would not be possible without support from other stakeholders.

She called for collaboration among governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to empower women and girls in tech through various policy initiatives, technical support, and funding.

“When we empower a girl, she empowers another. Together, we create a world where girls can lead, initiate, and thrive,” Menghorng stressed.

POWER4Girls was launched as a groundbreaking global initiative aimed at collaborating with and for girls to promote systems-level change for adolescent girls everywhere. Achieving gender equality and addressing the needs of adolescent girls necessitates a multi-faceted approach, fueled by robust partnerships with national governments and the leadership of girls.