Today we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the International Girls in ICT Day which is marked annually on the fourth Thursday in April. On this day we recognise the need to empower more women and girls to study and work in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector and to encourage others to follow an academic and professional path in this ever-growing and increasingly influential field.
Women still face considerable challenges and barriers to pursuing a career in the spheres of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In particular, the stereotypes children face from an early age compel girls and boys to confine their choices to traditional roles and societal expectations.
Gender stereotypes are recognised as the greatest obstacles to achieving gender equality, as they affect the self-image and decisions made by girls and boys. This is why we need to challenge these stereotypes and traditional norms through informal and formal education and by encouraging girls and boys to take an equal interest in all subjects.
In fact, the segregation in the choice of educational subjects remains strong, even though more women graduate from both the University of Malta as well as MCAST. Women remain heavily underrepresented in STEM subjects, while men are underrepresented in social and care subjects.
The share of women graduating in ICT remains extremely low- Annalise Desira
According to the NCPE Annual Report, in 2019, on average, only 15 per cent of graduates from the Institute of Information and Communication Technology at MCAST and the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology at the University of Malta were women. Hence, the share of women graduating in ICT remains extremely low.
These numbers significantly affect the labour market – where the need for STEM and ICT skills is rapidly increasing in all sectors. The absence of women in ICT limits the diversity of ideas and experiences in this sector, leaving behind a pool of untapped potential, skills and resources. Redressing this sectoral gender imbalance would also provide excellent opportunities for women to enter better paying jobs than those traditionally filled by women.
Finally, elevating the number and standing of women in this sector is a strong motivation to render ICT jobs more appealing to female workers, and science and engineering courses more attractive to girl students.
While this pandemic has brought economic difficulties around the world, technology has been a critical tool to cope with the crisis and its aftermath. Which is why, now is the time to take bold steps to ensure that girls and women enjoy the full fruits of the digital revolution and are empowered to play a leading role in its advancement.
Central to this vision will be the creation of an environment for more women who are willing to take on leadership positions, as well as men who are willing to take on more responsibilities in the household and employers who embrace a more flexible workspace.
Annalise Desira, senior manager, Human Rights Directorate