Lebanese women from 'All Girls Code' honored by UNESCO

All Girls Code, a Lebanese initiative supporting women’s education in the MENA region, was one of two projects awarded the 2025 UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education. The other winner was from Kenya: Nashipai Maasai Community Projects, recognized for its “Girls for Change – Empowering Maasai Girls through Education and Advocacy” program.

The prizes were presented in Beijing by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and Peng Liyuan, First Lady of China and UNESCO Special Envoy for the Promotion of Girls’ and Women’s Education.

“Our prize provides financial support, recognition and global visibility to outstanding initiatives for girls’ education around the world. It also helps change mentalities over time, contributing to better legal and practical recognition of this fundamental right,” Azoulay said in the UNESCO statement.

Our interview with the director:

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Founded in 2017 by two young Lebanese women, Aya Mouallem and Maya Moussa, All Girls Code aims to help Lebanese and other young women across the Arab world acquire skills in coding, technology and leadership.

Run by youth and powered by volunteers, the program offers free training and mentorship, with a focus on disadvantaged communities and refugees. More than 2,500 girls in nine countries have already benefited, opening opportunities for further study and careers, according to UNESCO.

The organization noted that inequalities persist, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, where women account for only 35 percent of graduates. In 2024, UNESCO said it helped 17 countries reduce barriers that keep girls from these fields, through mentorship programs and teacher training.

For reference

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The UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education, created in 2015 with support from the Chinese government, reflects the agency’s commitment to promoting gender equality and fostering future women leaders through education. Over the past decade, the prize has honored 20 projects from 19 countries, granting a total of $1 million to innovative initiatives.

In 2024, the award went to two African initiatives: PEAS in Uganda and Camfed in Zambia.

Les Libanaises de All Girls Code primées par l’Unesco