Joint effort to empower women in technology at the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women

The existing gender imbalance in technology has a negative impact on various fields and directions, so its elimination requires coordinated action among stakeholders. At the same time, along with taking effective steps, a constant dialogue, the exchange of information and the sharing of experiences are also important.

The high-level event “Joint Efforts to Empower Women in Technology”, which took place online on 7 March within the framework of the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, echoed the relevance and necessity of this dialogue. The purpose of the event was to bring together various stakeholders in order to exchange experiences and visions and to create a space for cooperation and the exchange of information and knowledge, among other objectives.

The high-level event was attended by representatives of the legislative and executive authorities of Georgia, the diplomatic corps, academic circles and the private sector, as well as the participants of the “500 Women in Tech” project. More than 100 people from different countries around the world joined the meeting. In a discussion format, the participants discussed the policies and programmes that exist to expand the participation of women in technology and innovation, in addition to discussing the current problems and the importance of multilateral cooperation in their elimination.

One of the parts of the event was the presentation of the results of the “500 Women in Tech” project, which UN Women has implemented since 2021 in partnership with Business and Technology University, partner companies in the ICT industry and with the support of the Norwegian Government. It involves free training for 500 women across the country in popular professions of the information and communications technology sector. Participants undergo a six-month training course, after which the project offers them an internship and employment.

Event speaker Laliko Tumanishvili, who passed the digital products tester course with the help of the “500 Women in Tech” project, remarked: “Women are constantly experiencing a lack of role models in the technology sector. Accordingly, I think that these types of events raise awareness and deepen understanding in the mentioned direction. By sharing my experience, I feel [that I am in a position] to encourage more women to be integrated in the fields where there are great opportunities for realization and development.”

The event was of particular importance in light of the fact that in 2021, Georgia committed to the Generation Equality Forum to promote the growth of women’s participation in technology and innovation and thereby achieve gender equality.

The event was part of the women’s economic empowerment component of the project “Good Governance for Gender Equality in Georgia”, which is implemented by UN Women with the support of the Norwegian Government.