Power On Your Support to Promote Women and Girls in STEM

Womens Rights

6 Mar

This year's International Women’s Day is about creating an equal digital future for all.

Let’s face it, this particular sector has never welcomed female involvement despite the many accomplishments women have made in these fields, Katie Bouman anyone?

Technological progress is outpacing progress towards gender equality and the balance has to be addressed urgently to enable all of us to unlock the full potential of technology.

Only 22% of artificial intelligence workers globally are women

73% of female journalists from 125 countries have experienced online violence

44% of global 133 AI systems analysed were found to demonstrate gender bias

Not to mention the stories circulating about fake porn and online violence. It’s disturbing to say the least.

So how can you help Crack the Code?

Women remain a minority in both STEM education and careers. This underrepresentation is influenced by stereotypes and factors at the personal, environmental and societal level.

As an employer and an individual supporting IWD this year, here are some things you can do to help:

Provide mentorship and sponsorship programs:

Provide mentorship and sponsorship programs to help female employees in STEM fields build their skills, develop their careers, and overcome barriers to success.

Offer flexible work arrangements:

Offer flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting, part-time work, and job sharing, to help female employees in STEM fields balance work and family responsibilities.

Provide equal pay and benefits:

Ensure that female employees in STEM fields receive equal pay and benefits compared to their male counterparts. This can help eliminate gender-based pay disparities and promote fairness in the workplace.

Create a culture of inclusivity:

Create a culture of inclusivity by fostering diversity, promoting teamwork, and providing opportunities for all employees to contribute their skills and ideas.

Support work-life balance:

Support work-life balance by offering family-friendly policies such as paid parental leave, child care support, and flexible schedules. This can help female employees in STEM fields balance work and family responsibilities and reduce stress.

Provide training and development opportunities:

Provide training and development opportunities to help female employees in STEM fields build their skills, stay up-to-date with the latest technologies, and advance their careers.

By taking these steps, employers can support girls and women in STEM fields, promote diversity and inclusion, and help build a strong and talented workforce.

““If you haven’t failed yet, you haven’t tried anything.””

— Reshma Saujani, Founder of Girls Who Code

If you’re an individual and want to support more women and girls into STEM at any age:

Get in touch with your School to see what they offer for girls in this field? If they don’t offer anything, talk to them about after school STEM related activities or providing girls with mentoring and support from teachers and other STEM professionals.

Talk to your young daughter about all the wonderful things that you can do in STEM and introduce her to role models. Look for School Holiday workshops that promote STEM.

Ask your employer why there aren’t more women in technology roles? If you are in a position of leadership could you sponsor a class in STEM in a School or University as part of your CSR policy? Could you hold Corporate educational workshops for School leavers.