UN Women supports the national girls’ programming team
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With the support of UN Women and Business and Technology University (BTU), the Georgian team participated in the 5th European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics (EGOI). At the competition, which was held in Germany from 14 to 20 July, experienced team member Gvantsa Khvedelidze won a bronze medal.
Along with Gvantsa, the team was represented by Mariam Tsagareli, Mariam Pipia and Lizi Pavliashvili. The team leaders were Professor Giorgi Mandaria and former EGOI prize-winner Nino Chkhaidze.
“This year’s Olympiad was interesting, first of all, because we had new members on our team. In the end, we all gained a lot of experience - and hopefully, we will improve our results at the next Olympiad,” says Gvantsa Khvedelidze, a 12th grade student at the Komarov School and the Information Technology Center “Mziuri”. Gvantsa has been participating in EGOI since 2022. This is her second bronze medal in this competition. In 2024, she also became the owner of her first honorary diploma.
EGOI is one of the most prestigious and large-scale international Olympiads in informatics. Its goal is to share experiences across Europe for girls under the age of 20 who are interested in technology, as well as to create a platform for international competition and career development. The Georgian women’s team has been participating in EGOI since 2022, and during this period, its members have won two gold, four silver and two bronze medals.
Representing Georgia at the Olympiad not only showcases Georgia’s intellectual potential on the international stage but also encourages girls to become more involved in information technology. This initiative by UN Women also served to reduce gender inequality in technology and overcome stereotypes.
“Such support for girls participating in the Olympiad in Informatics gives us more opportunities and increases our motivation to do what we really want and are interested in,” Gvantsa adds. “It often happens that, due to stereotypes, girls lose their desire and do not continue this activity, so any support means a lot to us.”
In partnership with BTU, UN Women is implementing various projects to support girls in technology. As part of these initiatives, many girls in Georgia have been able to learn new professions, find employment in their desired fields and serve as successful examples of women’s involvement in the field of information technology.
Support for the Georgian girls’ national team in informatics is part of the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia regional programme “Women’s Increased Leadership for Resilient and Peaceful Societies”, which is funded by the Government of Denmark.