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.
