No alternative but to boost women participation in IT

As Bangladesh steadily moves towards LDC graduation, the inclusion of women in IT and technology sectors – which is already an integral part of our day-to-day lives – has to be focused on now more than ever.

An article on this particular topic, published by this daily on Sunday, revealed that although female participation in the country’s IT sector has grown, the number of women entrepreneurs did not increase significantly compared to their male counterparts.

Closing the gender gap in IT and tech industries is crucial for empowering more women, ensuring the sector’s inclusive development and reaping the benefits of digitalisation – powered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Service (BASIS) data shows that around 2,000 IT firms are BASIS members, but women currently make up only 1 per cent of them. The number of women holding top posts at IT companies is also very small.

Besides, around 1.5 lakh women now work in the software and IT services industry, which is around 15 per cent of the total workforce.

To boost the SME sector and create more female entrepreneurs, the government has taken various initiatives that include tax exemption on up to Tk 70 lakh turnover. The Bangladesh Bank has also directed banks to give loans up to Tk 25 lakh to female entrepreneurs without security and mortgage.

Besides, the government is running the “She Power Project,” involving around Tk 253 crore, in a bid to create 25,000 new female entrepreneurs around the country.

Despite such initiatives, many women tech entrepreneurs say the banks are not interested in giving loans to IT firms because it is complicated to prove that IT firms are SMEs, and deserve loan sanctions.

Besides, while visiting different divisions and bodies for availing loans, female entrepreneurs sometimes also have to bring a male associate to deal with these issues. The government must work towards resolving these flaws in the system so that more female entrepreneurs avail such benefits.

What about the global scenario?

The lack of participation of women in tech and IT sectors is not only a domestic issue, but a global one as well.

A recent survey conducted by the Ceoworld Magazine shows that in some top technology companies the percentage of women employees is really low, and the percentage of women in technical positions in some top technology companies is even lower.

For example, in the e-commerce giant Amazon, the total women workforce according to data of June 2021 from Statista is 45 per cent, while 29 per cent applies for women in leadership jobs.

As far as Facebook is concerned, the total women workforce is 37 per cent, while 34 per cent applies for women in leadership jobs, and 24 per cent refers to women tech jobs.

At Apple, 34 per cent is the total women workforce and 31 per cent of women hold leadership jobs. Also, 24 per cent of women hold tech jobs.

Percentages in Google are even lower. The total women workforce according to data of June 2021 is 33 per cent, while 28 per cent applies for women in leadership jobs. Furthermore, the percentage of women in tech jobs is only 25 per cent.

Tech colossus Microsoft has 29 per cent total women workforce, and another 26 per cent applies for women who hold leadership jobs. Lastly, 23 per cent is the percentage for women in tech jobs in Microsoft.

These figures make us wonder, in how many countries in the world there is equality between women and men in the workplace? Despite the fact that women represent just over 50 per cent of the population internationally, they do not even approach 50 per cent in executive positions in any industry.

This fact applies to all countries. According to the United Nations, women around the world hold positions of power and authority in politics and workplace at extremely modest rates.

You may think that in the US, the percentage of women in managerial positions is high, but the reality is very different. While 46 per cent of the total workforce is made up of women, only 3 per cent of them hold management positions and less than 0.5 per cent senior management positions.

As an aspirant LDC graduate, there is no alternative for Bangladesh to bring in more women in the tech and IT sectors, and the budget for FY23 – which is just around the corner – should have clear guidelines and policy support to help the country create more women tech entrepreneurs.