INDIA: Throughout history, women have been an integral part of the digital evolution in the tech industry. As we move forward in the 21st century, the tech sector still remains a male-dominated domain.
In order to create better products for the welfare of society, diversity in the technology industry is extremely important. The gender gap is still quite prominent in the 21st century.
According to reports, women in the tech industry earn 29% less as compared to their male counterparts. Along with this, they still face sexism in the workplace due to which half of the tech-educated women have to leave their job.
Women in tech
Women in tech have been the backbone of advancements in science and technology. However, due to adverse social and cultural biases, their contributions have been understated.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals consist of 17 goals that are essential to transform the World by 2030. The fifth goal is the gender equality and women empowerment goal and the tech field is one of its main targets.
Earlier, coding was considered a low-paying job for women. But, when it started to gain significance, women were kept out of the picture and the pay went to their male counterparts. The progress of women’s prominence in the industry is a slow process but it is still achievable in coming years.
Kansas City in the US has the smallest gender pay gap. In the city, women get the same pay as their male counterparts for the same tech job. European country Bulgaria has 30.28% women in tech.
Male domination in the tech industry
Women have led major development in programming and development for a long time. But, the scenario started to change from the 1970s to-80s. During that time, society started to associate men with programming and tech-related jobs. Since then, the industry has been highly dominated by men.
However, over the years, more and more women in tech are raising their voices against gender inequality. Today’s women want equal opportunities and equal pay. Companies need to understand that programming isn’t just a men’s job. It is very important to address and fix the gender gap in the industry.
Key challenges faced by women in tech
In today’s world, thousands of women are taking up tech jobs to prove their mettle. However, the struggle to establish themselves in the industry isn’t an easy task for them. In order to settle and fit in their tech jobs, women have to face many barriers.
Gender equality is a major obstacle for women in tech. Due to the inequality ratio, they feel very inferior to their male colleagues. Most of the women feel that their voices and contributions are often unappreciated in the workplace.
With a lack of leadership roles for women, some males at high positions tend to showcase misogynist mentality towards their female colleagues.
Despite the progress made in gender equality challenges, many women still face barriers that stop them from progressing in their careers. One-third of women over the age of 35 are still in junior positions due to this. The majority of women in the IT sector hesitate to speak up as they feel that they won’t have the support of their collaborators. Adding to this, maintaining a work-life balance is an additional burden for female workers.
The future of women in tech
The Future is Female. Be it in the tech sector or any other industry, women will soon be the leader of all the industries. Women of the 21st century now dare to fight for their equal rights. They now want equal pay and benefits.
Many women believe that this is the bare minimum that a company can do for its female workers. Women in tech wish to envision ‘clear progression opportunities’ in their workplace as most of them are still experiencing issues with the ‘glass ceiling’.
The industrial revolution is in full swing but we still see skills gaps everywhere. Young women who are trying to build their careers in the tech industry have already overcome stereotypes and hurdles to reach here. Now is the time for companies to promote gender equality at their workplace.
Also Read: The Effect of Social Issues on Women Entrepreneurs in Rajasthan
