Women in Digital National and Intersectoral Strategy 2021-2026

July 2021

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Strategies and Action Plans

The Women in Digital National and Intersectoral Strategy 2021-2026 aims to address and overcome the gender gap in the digital sector in Belgium. The strategy is built on five strategic objectives to encourage and support women’s participation in the digital economy and to tackle the structural obstacles that prevent women from engaging in digital roles.

The strategy emphasises the need for digital skills across all sectors and highlights the underrepresentation of women in ICT and STEM fields. It aims to equip women with the necessary digital skills to thrive in an increasingly digitalised world, addressing the digital gap that affects various segments of the population.

Strategic Objectives

  1. Ensuring More Women Graduate in the Digital Sector
    • Encouraging Interest from a Young Age (<6 years)
      • Integrate gender issues in training for childcare professionals and teachers.
      • Promote gender-neutral educational materials and toys.
      • Provide inclusive information and activities for children and parents.
    • Fueling Curiosity in Primary School (6-12 years)
      • Use creative, playful, and gender-sensitive methods to teach digital skills.
      • Promote positive female role models in IT.
      • Encourage participation in coding camps and extracurricular activities.
    • Supporting Adolescents (12-18 years)
      • Address stereotypes and create an inclusive image of digital careers.
      • Organise info sessions and real contacts with digital activities.
      • Promote gender-sensitive teaching materials and environments.
    • Encouraging Higher Education in ICT and STEM (17-18 years)
      • Improve access to information about ICT and STEM degrees.
      • Conduct research on young people’s perceptions of digital careers.
      • Highlight benefits like job security and flexible working conditions.
  2. Stimulating Women’s Participation in the Digital Labour Market
    • Better Recruitment Practices
      • Coach women in job searches and interviews.
      • Provide employers with inclusive recruitment practices.
      • Organise job fairs specifically for women in digital roles.
    • Facilitating Professional Coaching and Reskilling
      • Offer accessible digital skills training, including women-only sessions.
      • Promote partnerships with educational and reskilling initiatives.
    • Promoting Female Entrepreneurship
      • Raise awareness about innovation and provide support for financial applications.
      • Train banking and investment personnel to combat gender biases.
      • Create networks for female entrepreneurs and showcase successful role models.
  3. Retaining Women in the Digital Sector
    • Promoting an Inclusive Working Environment
      • Establish a “Gender Pay Equality Policy.”
      • Support women in leadership roles and provide coaching.
      • Combat gender discrimination and promote respectful workplace environments.
    • Lifelong Learning
      • Encourage continuous digital skills training and reskilling.
      • Promote inclusive and attractive training programs for advanced digital skills.
    • Achieving Work-Life Balance and Reducing the Pay Gap
      • Support initiatives like flexible working hours and childcare facilities.
      • Promote equal representation of women in management positions.
    • Inspiring Through Success Stories and Peer Communities
      • Set up mentoring programs and women-in-digital groups.
      • Promote networking and skill-sharing among women in the digital sector.
  4. Creating New Images
    • Promoting Female Presence in Digital Media
      • Support the “No Women No Panel” campaign for mixed panels in digital events.
      • Ensure better representation of women in decision-making bodies related to digital issues.
      • Teach responsible innovation with a gender-sensitive perspective.
    • Organising Specific Events and Communication Campaigns
      • Publicise female role models and organise inclusive job days.
      • Promote success stories and inclusive digital organisations.
    • Cooperating with the Private Sector
      • Establish sustainable dialogues with the private sector to promote diversity.
      • Value organisations supporting inclusive approaches in digital roles.
  5. Closing the Gender Gap Among Specific Target Groups
    • Vulnerable Groups
      • Identify and address digital skill gaps among vulnerable groups like single mothers, women with disabilities, and older women.
      • Ensure inclusive communication and training programs.
    • Promoting Cultural Diversity
      • Promote education and training among women of foreign origin.
      • Encourage internships and first contacts with digital companies.
    • Skills Enhancement for Female Entrepreneurs and Managers
      • Encourage continuous training and reskilling for female entrepreneurs and managers to keep up with technological changes.

Conclusion

The strategy commits to an inclusive digital economy by identifying key challenges and implementing targeted measures to encourage and support women’s participation in the digital sector. It involves cooperation among governments, private sector, educational institutions, and civil society to create a more inclusive and equitable digital environment.