International Women’s Day on March 8 is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. The theme for 2023 is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.”
This theme is aligned with the priority theme for the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The stated focus of the session is, “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.” This United National session runs from March 6 through March 17.
The United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day will be marked by a high-level event on Wednesday from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. EST. The event will bring together technologists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and gender equality activists to provide an opportunity to highlight the role of all stakeholders in improving access to digital tools and be followed by a high-level panel discussion and musical performances.
The program will be available on YouTube:
While great strides for women have been made in the tech industry, there remains work to be done. According to job site, Zippia, in 2022, Women held just 28% of computing and mathematical jobs in the US, and made up just 34.4% of the workforce of the US’s largest tech companies (Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft).
Here are some comments on the roe of women in technology:
Erica Cronan, Global Marketing Manager, Datadobi:
Encouraging women and allies of women worldwide to demonstrate their support in a variety of ways is crucial to breaking barriers. Look inside yourself to see what beliefs you might be holding that are still contributing to women's workplace issues.
I urge women in tech to be open to mentoring new team members. We can achieve gender equity and a more balanced workplace by having strong female role models in the field. I am grateful to be a part of an organizational culture that supports diversity and encourages women to express their creativity and develop new skills. The leaders and organizations we as women must select must promote equality.
Jamie Hawkins, Marketing Director, DH2i:
Today more than ever, women have more opportunities to create the future we want. While overcoming biases, the world’s workplaces continue to make great strides, with prevailing research touting the benefits of doing so. According to McKinsey, companies with significant female representation are 25% more likely to outperform male-dominated competitors. Likewise, Gartner's research states that inclusivity can improve team performance by as much as 30%.
Juleen Konkel, General Counsel, Imply:
Although we only celebrate it one day out of the year, the spirit of International Women’s Day is something we should take with us and remember every single day. That spirit of creating a world where we see and recognize the contributions of women on this planet.
This is a time for businesses to look at the conversations they are having about the future and encourage those voices not often heard. Not only will it have positive effects on their bottom line, but it will also have positive impacts on their communities and the world for years to come.
Francesca Corsini, US Regional Sales Manager, Datadobi:
I am very fortunate to have strong female role models and to work for a company that values growth, support, and opportunity for everyone, equally. Their mentorship, guidance, and support helped me establish a career in tech. Hard work and dedication should not go unrecognized regardless of social, economic, racial, and religious differences and choices.
Innovation and technological breakthroughs are driven by our unique ideas, differences, and perspectives. It is our responsibility to continue building a world that fosters equal opportunity and brings a diverse set of minds to the table.