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While information communication technology (ICT)is growing at a rapid pace, women constitute only 7.88 percent of the workforce in Nepal’s ICT companies, with an even lower representation of 0.51 percent in ICT-enabled companies, a recent study conducted by Women in Information Technology (WIIT) shows.

The study titled “Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women in Nepal’s Information and Communication Technology Landscape’ states that disparity is particularly pronounced in larger organizations.

Despite comprising 51.02 percent of the population, women make up only 0.5 percent of the economically active workforce in ICT. Women’s participation in ICT leadership roles is also limited, with only 19.55 percent of women in the sector holding managerial or executive positions. While women have higher university enrollment rates compared to men, only 13.55 percent of registered engineers in the ICT field are women, according to the Nepal Engineering Council.

The majority of Nepal’s women ICT professionals fall within the 18-35 age group. There is a significant decline of women ICT professionals aged over 35 mainly due to societal expectations surrounding marriage and child-rearing, the study shows. 

Several factors, including societal norms, limited access to technical education and a lack of mentorship opportunities, contribute to this under-representation. One of the most significant barriers identified in the study is the pervasive unconscious bias in hiring and promotions. Many surveyed women reported being overlooked for leadership roles despite having the same qualifications and experience as their male counterparts. Additionally, nearly half of the respondents cited work-life balance as a major challenge, with societal expectations often placing disproportionate caregiving and household responsibilities on women.

While 67.7 percent of companies offer flexible work arrangements, 32.3 percent do not, leaving many women struggling to balance professional and personal commitments. This lack of supportive workplace policies further exacerbates the challenges women face in sustaining long-term careers in ICT, according to the study.

Even though women are under-represented in the sector, the study revealed a silver lining in terms of pay equity. A significant 87.9 percent of women in the ICT sector reported no pay disparity compared to their male counterparts.  In contrast, countries like India and Bangladesh report a 15-20 percent gender pay gap in the ICT sector.

To increase the participation of women in the ICT sector, the study encourages aspiring young women to gain hands-on experience through internships, mentorship and participation in industry-focused workshops. It also called on women to leverage online learning platforms to acquire advanced skills in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data analytics.

Employers must, according to the study,implement inclusive workplace policies, including flexible work arrangements, mentorship programs, and targeted recruitment initiatives to increase participation of women in the ICT sector. It also called on the government to revise labor laws to promote workplace safety, flexible work arrangements and equitable recruitment practices. The government should also facilitate mentorship programs and leadership quotas to support women’s professional growth and networking opportunities, it added.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 100 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 170, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 170, 300 per tola on Sunday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 985 per tola today.

Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) is on track to enhance its operational capacity with the ongoing expansion and upgradation work achieving 60 percent progress.

With this, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has decided to reduce the daily closure hours to six hours (midnight to 6 am) from April 1. Currently, the airport is closed for eight hours (11 pm to 7 am) to facilitate the project works. 

The expansion project began on Nov 8 with a completion target of March 31. The reduction in flight numbers during the peak tourist season sent ticket prices soaring. Although CAAN had requested airline companies to operate some flights to the international airports in Bhairahawa and Pokhara, airlines showed reluctance citing a lack of business. 

Before that, the TIA was in operation for 21 hours a day from 6 am till 3 am. 

CAAN is implementing Rs 15bn expansion works with loan assistance from the Asian Development Bank. Under the expansion plan, a  taxiway is being built parallel to the runway. According to CAAN, 45 percent of the work on the parallel taxiway has been completed so far. Once operational, the parallel runway is expected to boost TIA’s capacity as it would reduce runway occupancy time by approximately 22.5 percent.

The first section of the taxiway (1,140 meter long) is being built on the runway’s southern end which will connect the existing international apron to the end of Runway 02 towards Koteshwar. Similarly, another 450-metre parallel taxiway is being built at the northern end to connect the international apron to the end of Runway 20. 

Likewise, the work on building an international apron (north) to ease aircraft congestion has achieved 65 percent progress. This new facility will have parking space for 18 aircraft. Similarly, hangar apron (east), which will provide expanded facilities for aircraft maintenance, has achieved 35 percent physical progress.

TIA, which is designed to handle 2-3m passengers annually, saw over 4.5m passengers in 2024, highlighting the urgent need for expansion. The existing 1,900-meter parallel taxiway for the 3,374-meter runway has struggled to accommodate growing traffic. CAAN officials say the new parallel taxiway, positioned 172.5 meters from the runway, along with 18 additional parking aprons, will reduce the need to keep aircraft on a holding pattern.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 46. 33 points to close at 2, 772. 10 points on Sunday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 7. 31 points to close at 463. 29 points.

A total of 22,726,283-unit shares of 315 companies were traded for Rs 10. 09 billion.

Meanwhile, Guardian Micro Life Insurance Limited (GMLI) and 9% ICFC Finance Limited Debenture 2088 (ICFCD88) were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Upakar Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (ULBSL) and Sindhu Bikash Bank Ltd (SINDU) were the top losers as their price fell by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 60 trillion.