Material for reading “Understanding the Barriers to Women’s Equal Participation in the (re)Training Program”

3.1 Identification of many different barriers in limiting women’s access to participation in re/training programs helping them to find a job in the digital sector

There are many different barriers standing in the way of women’s access to participation in re/training programs helping them to find a job in the digital sector. Some of them are identified below:

  1. Entrenched stereotypes and culture: inherent biases flow from gender stereotypes and traditional assumptions about men and women which limit women’s equal use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and to their participation in the (digital) economy more broadly. Ever since IBM launched its first PC in 1981, computers have been associated as being ‘boys stuff. The claiming is largely the work of culture and society that links interest and success with computers to boys and men. Curriculum, teachers’ expectations, and culture reflect boys’ pathways into computing, accepting assumptions of male excellence and women’s deficiencies in the field.
  2. Tokenism: women in tech-intensive industries are more likely to feel like an outsider than men. The isolation and marginalization suffered by minority prevent a strong feeling of belonging and limits exerting influence.
  3. The lack of role models encourages women to look for employment in the digital sector of the labour market.
  4. Stronger perceived difficulties for reconciling business and personal life.
  5. ‘’Technophobia’’: lack of education results in lack of skills and confidence and represents a key barrier to the access and use of digital technologies. Inherent biases and socio-cultural norms contribute to lower self-confidence and motivation.
  6. Cyber-bullying and online harassment contribute to frequent reports that women do not feel safe or comfortable taking the centre stage online. Such negative experiences online, in media and in social networks, can have a negative impact on the well-being of many young girls and women, with negative spillover effects on their self- confidence, trust and ultimately their mental health and physical safety.
  7. Access and affordability of re/training programs. Women face higher barriers when it comes to initial access, affordability of digital services and use of ICT. Typically, female users develop their skills at home, in the workplace or in trusted local community environments.
  8. Location. The gender gap tends to be larger in rural areas of developing economies. Women and girls in rural areas are much more likely to work in agriculture.
  9. Social acceptance from family members is also found to be crucial for girls and women to be actively engaging in the digital domain, and to pursuing educational and professional opportunities in technological fields.
  10. Self-beliefs have an impact, because they determine how well students motivate themselves and persevere in the face of difficulties. Girls report consistently holding less positive beliefs in their own abilities in mathematics and science than boys and are considerably more likely than boys to express feelings of stress and anxiety towards mathematics – even when they perform just as well as boys.

3.2 Ways in which female learners can overcome the barriers to re/training needed to work in a digital sector

The most common prevention and mitigation measures implemented to overcome barriers for women in the digital sector are:

  1. Encouragement and support of the development of girls’ confidence and attitudes towards using ICT. Governments, together with communities, parents, teachers and children, are strongly encouraged to help change attitudes around women and girls using ICT, studying STEM subjects and working in the digital sector.
  2. Promotion of role models. Role models can be promoted in a number of ways:
      • Female teachers being role models for students,
      • Creating awareness campaigns to fight existing stereotypes, giving visibility to existing female digital champions,
      • Ensuring the visibility of relevant women in events, expert groups, educational content and the media is critical to generate these kinds of opinionated leaders and role models.
  1. Networking, connecting women through technology networks and empowering each other.
  2. Mentoring: mentorship is one of the most widespread initiatives worldwide. Mentoring initiatives help mitigate the effects of the women's confidence gap and their tendency to have weaker networks in the professional sphere. It can take place among younger girls in educational environments or in professional environments, and within companies or in a cross-sectional manner.
  3. Digital literacy and exposure to technology.
  4. Facilitating access to technology such as computers or phones, also internet cafes, training rooms, online classes.
  5. Awareness of unconscious biases in order to raise awareness and help overcome a deep-reaching cultural and social stereotyping.
  6. Increasing women's confidence in tech and digital innovation.
  7. Taking on individual or group classes/courses. Online courses for those living in rural areas.
  8. Featuring successful women and girls from the digital sector in campaigns through which they can present their experiences and share diverse perspectives on how to pursue similar careers.
  9. Creating social media hashtags aimed at breaking down stereotypes.

The four key areas identified as part of a systemic approach are: empowering educators and making them active agents of change; increasing self-confidence and self-belief; changing attitudes and expectations; preventing discrimination and gender-based violence.

3.3 Reasons and benefits of women’s equal participation in the re/training program to prepare them to work in a digital sector

The digital transformation of society and the economy is an unstoppable current phenomenon. Today, having digital skills, and having personnel with ICT qualifications, is something required in all sectors of the economy, not only in the ICT sector. The digital revolution will shape the way we live and work in the future, and if women are left behind by not being an active part of this process, patriarchal constructs and structures will be reinforced and perpetuated. Women’s participation in shaping digital transformation will bring about social change in the present and in the future.

It is, therefore, essential to participate in a re/training program to remain in the labour market, to become more flexible and more attractive for employers. It encourages further self-development and expands the realm of skills. These skills are useful not only in women’s careers but also in their personal lives. Furthermore, taking up a course/training and accomplishing it increases self-belief and boosts self-confidence.  If equality in the digital sphere is not achieved, we will miss out on talent, vision, resources and wealth.

3.4 Success stories for female learners coaching

It is important to inspire girls and women to participate in re/training programs in the digital sector and the use of role models and success stories is a great tool for that. Below you can read two examples and find the links to more inspiring success stories out there.

  • Andrea Jimenez Cisneros from Peru was born in a conservative family where all family resources were invested in boys’ education. While Andrea could not count on attending university due to financial restrictions, she worked her way through and is now not only a PhD candidate at the Royal Holloway University of London, but also commencing a career in Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D).
  • Afua Osei from Ghana was studying political science and realised she wanted to help other women to figure out their career paths and get involved in community work. Afua was drawn to technology because of the potential to create content that transcends national borders and to give people the ability to feel part of a community, even if they are physically separated. She started a job in a mobile advertising firm doing business strategy and eventually became one of the co-founders of ‘She leads Africa’ platform which is set up to help young women to choose their career paths.

Stories involving young women from all over the world and especially from the developing countries that have not only bigger gender gap issue, more conservative approach to women in the digital sector, but also lesser access to education and affordability of computers, phones etc., are very inspiring and should encourage girls and women to set and achieve their goals.

Adult educators-coachers might use the success stories developed during the project Go-Digital for motivating women learners (https://godigital.lmlo.lt/success_stories.html?lang=en).

The interesting life stories of women changing their career to the digital sector, challenges they have faced and results they have reached make an impression and encourage other women. When using these stories in the coaching process adult educators might find the questions for self-reflection which are really helpful with the process of encouraging women to go towards the digital sector.

Also, it is important to look for examples of women who have changed their career to the digital sector, and use their success stories as role models in motivating women.

Links for the self-learning