Mobile Meetings Series – Connected Women: Accelerating the female mobile economy

The information and communication technology industry (ICT) is a fast-growing sector which offers numerous opportunities for women – both for personal connectivity and professional advancement. However, the number of young people studying and choosing careers in ICT is decreasing and is not keeping up with growing demand. Women are under-represented at all levels in the ICT sector, especially in decision-making positions and there is a need to empower women to participate more fully in the digital sector.

Expanding the opportunities for women in ICT as well as aiming to involve girls in technology at a young age will be keys to promoting high participation of women in the ICT workforce. There is also a need to better understand the implications of research into the link between ICT skills, women’s employment, productivity and prospects for future mobile industry growth. Identifying best practices for achieving greater inclusion of women in ICT will be important for fostering greater participation of women in ICT, increasing industry revenues and having positive impact on industry reputation

The GSMA event will showcase the role of women in ICT and focus particularly on how to expand women’s involvement in the sector. Bringing together representatives from the GSMA, industry, and policymakers, the event will help identify best practices and potential opportunities for women.
The session will cover the following topics:

• Closing the gender gap in the ICT sector
• Best practices for attracting and retaining girls/women to the field of ICT
• Meeting the needs and wants of today’s female professionals