A new government measure is under way to update the municipal strategy to combat the digital gender divide and promote equality in ICT. The fifty actions set out by the measure are designed to increase women’s presence in the tech market, drive digital training and promote science vocations among girls.

With a three-year roadmap and a budget of two million euros, the new government measure on gender equality in tech environments provides a new impetus for the promotion of women in the digital realm, strengthening the feminist perspective in the construction of an increasingly tech-driven society.

Achieving equality in the technological sphere is fundamental for building a fairer society which guarantees the same opportunities form girls and women when it comes to science and technology careers. This goal also forms part of the feminist struggle, with this year’s 8 March campaign adopting a collective and combative wave as its icon.

Women in the ICT sector

Even though Barcelona is a pioneering city at the forefront of the tech sphere, more action is needed to consolidate parity and a more equal city model in creation, design and the production of technology. Women currently occupy just 26% of jobs in the ICT sector and only 8.6% of technical posts.

Women’s reduced presence in the digital labour market heightens discrimination and their invisibility in the science and tech sphere, hampering their access further.

Four strategy areas to combat the digital divide

The new government measure is based around four main goals and 51 specific actions:

1. Facilitate women’s access to ICT jobs: this includes the creation of digital training programmes and jobs, such as the BCNFemTech skills-acquisition plan, designed to get fifty women in vulnerable situations into professional positions in programming and web development.
2. Support women in the ICT sector: visibility and recognition of women’s contribution to the development of tech industries is needed, along with the promotion of their involvement in public policies in this area. The measure therefore includes the creation of a BCNFemTech women’s network and backing for tech projects by women entrepreneurs.
3. More women in public procurement: gender clauses are planned for public contracts with providers from the tech sector, along with the creation of an internal women’s technology team to drive digital training among women municipal workers.
4. Science and tech girls: the promotion of science and tech careers among young girls is essential for ensuring equality in the digital society of the future. To this end, the roadmap includes a STEAM initiative for girls in primary school with the collaboration of the Mobile World Congress and agreements with universities to increase women’s presence in technological study areas.