EQUALS Research on Gender Equity, Access, and Digital Skills
At TASCHA, one of our primary research areas is Women & Technology. Under this framework, researcher Maria Garrido and others are focusing on how women can use, transform, and create digital technologies to advance gender equity both locally and globally. One of the many exciting initiatives Maria focuses her energy on is as a member of the EQUALS research group, led by Dr. Araba Sey, of United Nations University, Center for Computing and Society. Maria represents the iSchool in this group.
We are proud to share that the EQUALS inaugural report, “Taking stock: Data and evidence on gender equality in digital access, skills, and leadership” was published a few weeks ago. This research is the work of many different partner organizations focused on designing strategies to decrease the the gender digital gap in access, skills, and leadership.
Some of the report’s main findings across the three focus – access, skills, and leadership areas are below:
- The gender digital divide persists irrespective of a country’s overall ICT access levels, economic performance, income level or geographic location.
- While science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education can provide the foundation for advanced digital skills and a career in the tech industry, girls perceive their own skill levels to be lower than boys and have less interest in the subjects.
- Evidence from North America and Europe indicates that women leave science and engineering jobs at higher rates than men.
- The report recognizes that there is a worldwide lack of data disaggregated by gender.
Established in 2016, EQUALS is “partnership of corporate leaders, governments, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions, NGOs and community groups around the world dedicated to promoting gender balance in the technology sector by championing equality of access, skills development and career opportunities for women and men alike.”
Read the full report for an in-depth look at EQUALS.
