By Phapano Phasha
DUE to its talent pool, India has become the epicentre for global technology companies as well as financial technology. India’s digital diplomacy has catapulted the country into one of the “most preferred markets for tech giants”.
Technologies such as the Internet of Things, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, blockchain, mobile technology, and robotics have de facto become industry standards. Globally, businesses are in the midst of a rapid digital transformation. Digital inclusion becomes pivotal as a result.
If we look closely at the fact that women account for about 50% of the world’s population (India: 48%), yet they account for under 40% of the workforce, it paints a glaring image of the exclusion on a gender basis.
Globally, the IT industry is rapidly becoming a pivotal point of economic growth and innovation. Sadly, this industry is dominated by men.
This article therefore reviews the impact of digital technologies in India as the most populous nation with a focus on women, as in countries such as Singapore with a high level of e-literacy and e-skills among its population, which has a more inclusive society.
According to a study by the CFA Institute, women’s participation in the IT sector in India between 2021 and 2022 was the highest in the workforce, with an active participation rate of 30%, followed by the financial services sector with circa 22% female participation.
The IT sector in India is the biggest employer, and the active participation of women is crucial to the advancement of the economic gains associated with a gender-diverse economy.
According to reports, 53% of displaced workers in the coming years will be men, versus 47% among the female populace. This is because, historically, men occupied jobs that required physical energy and ones that are easily automatable. If this fact remains, it points a positive outlook on the efforts that India is making to include women in the IT sector.
Generally, women’s participation in the IT sector drives inclusivity and innovation as backed by research which indicates that a workforce with a gender diversity is more likely to outperform its rivals.
How did India achieve this? The number of Indian females in higher education (HE) has increased phenomenally over the years. According to a survey by the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), between 2020 and 2021, women enrolment in HE has risen faster than men, amidst a general rise of 26% in student enrolment at tertiary levels, with women enrolment increasing more significantly by 32% during the same period.
More significantly, the research showed that women from the most disadvantaged groups, referred to as Scheduled Castes (formerly referred to as the ‘untouchables’), rose to 51% compared to a 44% within the same period.
India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for females increased to 28.4% from 23.7%, which is higher than men. The rising interest of women in research and other spheres of academia has promulgated their active participation in innovation and technology.
The integrated approach and adoption by the India, government for women, inclusion is a step in the right direction and one that will spearhead economic advancement and a significant business transformation.
This is also a demonstration that government intervention in changing the stereotype about the appropriate fields of study for men and women has been successful.
Historically, the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) were often viewed as masculine, whereas the arts, humanities, and social sciences were considered feminine.
These perceptions are ingrained in societal attitudes and significantly influence the inclusion of women in such fields. What is, however, critical is the role that governments across the world can play in meaningfully including women in the IT space.
* Phapano Phasha is with the Centre for Alternative Political and Economic Thought, with a focus on The Global South and BRICS Plus Countries. The views expressed here are her own.