3 ways international organizations can boost the participation of girls in ICTs
In many countries across the world, researchers are investigating the reasons behind lower participation rates of girls and women in information and communication technologies (ICT), both academically and professionally.
Fewer female students studying ICT has often been attributed to gendered differences in a number of factors, but it can be difficult to pin down exactly where these lower figures come from.
A 2017 report by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and Dalberg Global Development Advisors took a closer look at why girls and women in Southeast Asia tend not to pursue the development of ICT skills or employment. In my view, three of these reasons stand out considerably – and international organizations can take three courses of action to address each of them.
Examining barriers in Southeast Asia
The first can be ascribed to entrenched gender biases leading Southeast Asian societies to characterize the world of technology as a predominantly male domain. This in turn can lead to parents and teachers discouraging girls from pursuing an educational path in ICT. In such cases, girls risk losing interest not only in ICT but in all related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects from a young age. Such gender biases also contribute to fewer women in technology-related fields, and thus fewer female role models who can drive young girls’ interest and aspirations around technology.
Other significant barriers preventing girls from acquiring ICT skills include limited time, mobility or investment in ICT training. In some parts of the world, girls are assigned a major share of domestic and care work. They are also more likely to experience limited mobility, which might restrict their access to in-person ICT training. Families in Southeast Asia tend to spend more on educating boys and men than on education for girls and women, according to the report.
Thirdly, women also face more barriers when it comes to entering the digital workforce. Women perceive existing ICT jobs as unattractive because they receive lower wages and gain fewer promotions than men. The Dalberg report found that in Southeast Asia, women are paid between 60 and 80 per cent of the wages men receive for the same work, and occupy between 10 and 20 per cent of middle-to-senior-level management positions and only 5 to 8 per cent of CEO-level positions. Women also face gender discrimination in hiring practices.
How international organizations can bring more girls into ICTs
Governments in every country have an essential role in encouraging girls to participate in ICT education and professional pathways. Not only should they collaborate with relevant stakeholders in all sectors, but also develop and implement strategies to address gender inequalities in ICT-related environments, whether in the classroom, household or in a business environment.
- Starting at the root with the educational system, international organizations can help develop and nurture the mindset of young girls towards ICT through innovative programming and pedagogical initiatives. Communicating the value of ICT education, particularly in developing countries, can help young girls and women understand how to get involved and hone their digital skills to bring value to their societies in different ways. In places where technology is thought to be ‘a man’s world’, it is also necessary to change the attitude of parents and teachers towards girls and ICT through communication and sensitization efforts.
- In the professional world, international organizations also have a role to play. They could directly support professional ICT opportunities for women by funding STEM-related internships for girls, allocating slots for girls in capacity building programmes, funding research fellowships and scholarships to study ICT and more.
- It is also important to empower women outside of formal labour markets with basic ICT knowledge. International organisations should collaborate closely with governments and stakeholders to promote initiatives like distance learning, and vocational training for the enhancement of digital skills at all levels.
Various programmes designed by and for girls and women could be established together with partners, such as thematic competitions, ICT camps for girls, sharing of success stories of girls and women in ICT, and mentoring programmes for young girls.
The more these activities are organized and publicized, the stronger impacts they are likelier to have on girls’ mindsets in Southeast Asia and beyond. Let us not forget the crucial role of international organizations in making every day ‘Girls in ICT Day.’
Image credit: Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels
