Why Vision 2041 is incomplete without gender equality
While progress has been made in promoting gender equality in the technology sector, there is still much work to be done
What exactly is Vision 2041? In simple terms, it means 'everyone must be Smart!'
From Vision 2021, which brought us automation and digitization, we must now shift to data-centric design and human-centric experience to realise the next vision for our nation and its people.
This vision will straddle four key pillars: Smart citizen, smart government, smart society and smart economy, and the ICT Division will play a key role in achieving it.
Judging by our achievements in the last decade, we may very well be on course to achieving that vision. However, there is a caveat - we still have a long way to go towards achieving true gender equality, particularly in having women in the technology workforce.
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According to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the labour force participation rate for women in Bangladesh was 36.3% in 2020. However, the percentage of women in the formal sector is much lower, with only 15.8% of women being employed in formal jobs. Most working women in Bangladesh are employed in the informal sector, which includes domestic work, street vending, and agriculture. Most technology jobs, of course, are in the formal sector.
The one area women in Bangladesh have thrived in - the RMG sector - has also in many ways let them down. A Survey of Manufacturing Industries (SMI) 2019 collected from almost 8,000 RMG establishments indicated that women represented 59.4% of RMG workers while having less than 2% managerial or ownership roles.
The data on women's access to technology in Bangladesh is a good indication of women's presence in the technology workforce. A survey published by BBS in 2022 on ICT Use and Access by Individuals and Households revealed that the proportion of individuals who owns a mobile phone (which is an SDG Indicator) was 72.3% for males and 51.4% for females, while the proportion of individuals using the Internet in the last 3-months (also an SDG Indicator) was 45.3% for male and 32.7% for female.
All of this is of course not a deviation from global trends.
According to a report by the World Bank, women make up less than a third of the world's workforce in technology-related fields. Women hold 28% of all jobs in computer and mathematical occupations, and 15.9% of employment in engineering and architecture occupations. In the European Union, women make up only 17% of the ICT (information and communication technology) sector.
The Tech industry has long been a male-dominated world but as we enter a new decade, it is time to look at the position of women in tech. Many technology companies have been slow to adopt inclusive hiring practices, which has resulted in a gender gap in the industry. In addition to this, women earn less money than their male counterparts and are more likely to experience gender-based discrimination.
A survey conducted by WomenTech Network with almost 600 participants revealed that women often experience microaggressions at work. About 64% of respondents have been spoken over during meetings, 19% have felt pigeonholed by stereotypes in various situations and 11% have been asked to "supply the food" during meetings.
Amongst other frequent microaggressions, gendered language and taking meeting minutes were referred to as "the usual" by many of the survey participants.
Therefore, to leapfrog into the future of Smart Bangladesh, it is imperative for the government of Bangladesh to implement policies and programmes to support women's economic empowerment, which should include a target of having 30% of leadership positions in the public and private sector filled by women by 2030.
The Smart Bangladesh ICT plan acknowledges this and has particular plans to remove the gender gap by creating an internal "Gender gap task force" to ensure the inclusion of women across smart device access initiatives, while ensuring a safe online environment for women in e-commerce.
The plan also identifies the creation of a digital job platform that can play an important role in driving employment and inclusion where women are currently at a disadvantage with lower employment rates. Earlier this month, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni confirmed that a new curriculum where students will learn coding from Grade III has been formulated from pre-primary to secondary, and by 2025, it will be implemented in primary and entire secondary schools.
The challenges and barriers to women's participation in the technology sector in Bangladesh is a lack of access to education and training. While there are many programmes aimed at promoting STEM education and technology training for girls and women, these initiatives must reach all of the communities that need them.
Our mindset is another challenge for not having women participate in the labour force in Bangladesh. Smart Bangladesh also needs a shift towards a progressive mindset, that will allow, encourage and promote women to enter the technology sector which was and has been predominated by men.
The back-dated cultural mindset along with biased hiring practices has become the reason for many women in the workforce experiencing discrimination and harassment, which can make it difficult for them to advance their freedom to choose careers as software engineers, take computer science majors, STEM or to pursue skill-based careers to enter the technology sector.
There are many inspiring women entering the technology sector in Bangladesh who are making significant contributions to the industry. There is now a growing need for a platform to empower and support women in tech, by connecting them with mentors, offering scholarships and fellowships, creating a community of peers and providing resources on career development.
It is essential to encourage more young women to enter the field of technology through educational initiatives. Smart Bangladesh has made it a mission to create a country that is equal, where everyone has access to technology-based opportunities and a platform to share their stories and experiences. Additionally, it must also strive to increase the number of women in leadership roles across the technology industry by creating programmes to support them.
Inclusion of women in technology and tech-enabled businesses will ensure the country's rise in the coming decades, making Bangladesh stand apart globally as Smart Bangladesh. We believe that the representation of women in tech will ultimately create an environment where everyone can thrive. Together, we can make a difference for future generations of our country.
Tasnuva Shelley is the Founder & CEO of Legalized Education and the Head of Chambers, Justicia Legal Minds.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
