Women Leadership in public ICT sector (WLICT)

In an increasingly digital world, the need for digital policies that incorporate gender equality has become a global imperative. Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in digital and leadership roles within public institutions, perpetuating inequalities and limiting the sector's capacity to respond effectively to the diverse needs of society and to bridge the digital gender divide.

One reason for the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles and careers in the ICT sector is their low representation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. These gender imbalances in technical fields undermine the potential for an inclusive digital transformation.

Furthermore, the various forms of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV) constitute a significant obstacle to women's participation in decision-making roles and hamper their freedom of expression.

The “Women Leadership in public ICT sector” project responds to these challenges.

This multi-donor project is led by a consortium of six European cooperation agencies. It reinforces Team Europe's continued commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment as part of the Global Gateway investment strategy to advance the equal participation of women, men, girls and boys in shaping tomorrow's digital world.

It has three specific objectives:

1. Improving policymakers' capacity to design gender-responsive public policies in the digital sector
2. Increase women and girls' access to STEM education
3. Making the digital environment safer for women and girls

Coordinated by GIZ, this first component aims to strengthen the capacities of decision-makers, elected officials, senior civil servants, private sector executives and civil society leaders, to design and implement gender-sensitive digital policies, strategies and regulatory frameworks.

It fosters multi-stakeholder dialogue, the development of leadership skills and the design of strategic and regulatory instruments, at national, regional and international level.

Coordinated by ENABEL, this second component encourages women and girls to engage in, and stay in, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

It combines awareness-raising and role models, career guidance, concrete access to education and employment (STEM clubs, IT training) and the building of lasting communities of practice and sisterhood networks.

Coordinated by Expertise France, this third component aims to tackle technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TF-GBV).

It strengthens public policies for prevention and regulation, in particular through regional legislative support and technical assistance to national institutions, and supports TF-GBV victims and survivors through a mapping of existing services and the roll-out of prevention and support mechanisms.