6 ways we can choose to challenge the digital gender gap

The digital gender gap is stubborn, and it feeds on a lack of inclusivity and communal inaction. By choosing to challenge the systems, unconscious biases and stereotypes that exacerbate the it, we can adopt common actions and a common voice that can one day close the gap for good. Below are six voices from Plan International and Telenor who #ChooseToChallenge the digital gender gap.

Chatsuda Santanond | SVP, Head of Customer Value Management Division at​ dtac

“As the head of dtac’s (Telenor’s Thai mobile operator) Customer Value Management team, I #ChoosetoChallenge all leaders in the fields of IT and network technology to embrace more diversity.  My team has a healthy mix of equally brilliant women and men and we achieve great things together! 😊​”

Soaiba Sarwat Synthia​ | Head of VAS and Digital Operation​ at Grameenphone

“Though the STEM field/ICT sector is considered to be a male-dominated area, I see an era of change. Working in my role, I don’t consider myself male/female: I choose myself to break the ceiling and go beyond it by taking on new challenges. It’s all about overcoming tradition and embracing new opportunities. One piece of advice I follow, is Sheryl Sandberg’s when she says, ‘If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat. Just get on!’”

Nora Lindström | Digital lead at Plan International

“I #Choosetochallenge harmful gender biases in tech. Technology isn’t neutral but reflects the biases of its creators. Unfortunately, those designing and developing technology today are not a very diverse group, and the group is dominated by men. As such, digital products often reproduce dominant, harmful norms and stereotypes.

By embracing the inherent bias in technology, we can develop digital products that help us challenge harmful norms and stereotypes, and that nudge us towards more inclusive behaviours. I challenge those designing and developing digital products to create Equality Tech.”

John McGown | Country Director at Plan International Thailand

“The advancement of digital technology should not have any gender barriers as the benefits of this technology can have positive impacts on everyone in society. Young women and men, who are educated and have the skill sets, will be our digital engineers in the future.

To address the gap of women participating in digital technology fields, we must ensure that young women have “greater than equal” opportunities to learn and excel in this field.  This helps us ensure that digital technologies will benefit all of society in the most positive way.”

Laavenia Ramasegar | Radio Network Planning Engineer, Technology at Digi

“I #ChoosetoChallenge the stereotype that all women are emotional and tend to let their emotions get in the way of work and professionalism

It’s common to stereotype woman as emotional, inferring that they’re more unpredictable at work, especially in male-dominated industries. On the contrary, throughout my professional experience I have found women to be very perceptive, making them diplomatic, patient and able to handle tasks during a crisis in a cool and calculated manner.”

Sanna-Kaisa Sihvola | RTE (Release Train Engineer) for TelcoCloud Train at DNA