Translated by Andrés Martínez
The Secretariat of Economic Development of Bogotá and Women in Tech are joining forces to promote the inclusion and advancement of women in the labor and tech markets. This alliance was forged during the launch event marking the renowned NGO's entry into the country, aiming to empower 5 million women and girls with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) skills by 2030.
María del Pilar López Uribe, the Secretary of Economic Development of Bogotá, announced this during the meeting and highlighted the challenges women face. “Although we’ve made significant progress in terms of access to education, employment gaps persist once we enter the job market. Therefore, for the Secretariat of Economic Development of Bogotá, gender, technology, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and business strengthening for women are key,” she stated.
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According to Women in Tech data, the gender gap in the tech industry is such that only one in five people working in this field is a woman. Hence, this collaboration will expand tech training programs, create support and collaboration networks, promote female entrepreneurship in technology, and conduct research to inform public policies.
During her speech, the Secretary of Economic Development of Bogotá also outlined four challenges based on her experience, “All women have had to overcome significant barriers to get where we are: first, the wage gaps between men and women in the same profession, which widen with lower education levels; second, horizontal segregation, as women historically concentrate in certain occupations less demanded by the labor market. Thus, we women have a path to tread in technology, which underscores the importance of this alliance with Women in Tech.”
In this regard, the Secretariat of Economic Development of Bogotá aims to achieve 78,000 certifications in vocational training, with at least 23,000 targeted at women. Additionally, the goal is to strengthen 86,000 local businesses, with more than 26,000 expected to be women-owned.
Below is a post from the Secretariat of Economic Development on X, announcing this partnership.
#EstaSemana@WomenInTech y @DesarrolloBta establecimos una alianza para promover la inclusión y el progreso de las mujeres en el mercado laboral y tecnológico. 🤩
— Secretaría Desarrollo Económico (@DesarrolloBta) March 10, 2024
➡️Conoce más detalles aquí: https://t.co/icjQOyU6kB
Addressing the third challenge, the Secretary of Economic Development of Bogotá mentioned the so-called glass ceilings and the difficulty for women to rise in the workplace. “We face invisible barriers, simply because there's a stereotype that women are not suited for leadership positions, for example. And the fourth challenge is gender roles, as women are still associated with certain roles and jobs, which is one of the biggest obstacles we face,” she asserted.
