The theme for International Women’s Day in 2023 is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.
International Women’s Day is an annual global event held on March 8th to recognize and advocate for women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. It honors and celebrates the women and girls who are leading the promotion of digital education and innovative technology while highlighting the need for more conversation surrounding the impact of the digital gender gap on growing economic and social disparities, as well as the necessity of preserving women’s and girls’ rights online.
Why is it important to have conversations about women and technology and how does International Women’s Day encourage this?
Women in some regions of the world do not have access to or understand how to use technology to their benefit. Young female students may not know or understand how to use digital education tools, such as online libraries, study resources, and student planning apps, putting them at a disadvantage compared to their peers. Similarly, women looking to find work and career opportunities cannot access online job forums or networks via social media platforms such as LinkedIn. In an increasingly digital world, it is critical to take action to encourage all women to learn how to use digital tools to access information, interact with others, and empower themselves to ensure equal opportunity.
The goal: empower women and contribute to closing the digital divide.
Though women tend to be under-represented in the tech industry, many women have made major contributions to the sector which are sometimes overlooked. On International Women’s Day, it is important to recognize and honor the accomplishments of women in technology, whether they are entrepreneurs, engineers, or researchers, as they’ve paved the way for their colleagues and the next generation of women in technology.
Here is a list of 6 inspirational female leaders in the tech world that we think deserve some extra recognition on International Women’s Day:
1. Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, advocates and creates opportunities for women in technology, as well as pushing for fair pay, assistance for mothers, equal rights, and top-down responsibility in the industry.
2. Jacky Wright presently serves as Microsoft US’s Corporate Vice President and Chief Digital Officer. She inspires and manages teams to help organizations harness technology to drive innovation, embrace sustainable and accessible business models, and digitally transform. As a woman of color, her enthusiasm, advocacy, and influence to build a genuinely inclusive society are reflected in the different forums where she routinely starts conversations on diversity, digital inclusion, and the power of inclusive leadership.
3. Susan Wojcicki was Google’s first-ever marketing manager and oversaw the product management of some of Google’s most successful programs, including Google AdSense, Analytics, and Image Search and in 2014 took the position of CEO at YouTube. Susan fights for inclusion in the workplace, taking a stand against gender bias in the hiring process and implicit gender bias in the day-to-day.
4. Sheryl Kara Sandberg is an American philanthropist, writer, and technology executive. Sandberg served as Meta Platforms’ chief operating officer (COO), which she stepped away from in August 2022, acting as a backbone for the company. She is also the creator of LeanIn.Org, a non-profit committed to empowering women through community and education.
5. Gabriella Crick Lewis, Director of Communications and Co-Owner of MyStudyLife, used the student planner app every day when she was a student and recognized it could be the foundation for something that could empower all students, regardless of their gender, age, or location. She created a business plan, outlining how MSL could become the number one, global, go-to app for all students. The MyStudyLife team is now working hard to create the ultimate student organizer and productivity app to help students be the best they can be.
6. Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, is in charge of the business’s day-to-day operations as well as managing customer and strategic relationships to promote corporate development. Gwynne joined SpaceX in 2002 as the company’s 11th employee, as Vice President of Business Development, and has overseen almost 50 launches and $5 billion in revenue. She also serves on the Global Agenda Council on Space Security of the World Economic Forum.
International Women’s Day 2023 provides a chance to consider the role of technology in fostering gender equality. While technology is not a cure-all for the world’s gender inequality issues, it proves to be an effective instrument for gradual change. Technology can help break down gender barriers and empower women to achieve their full potential by providing equal access to digital education tools and job opportunities, addressing gender-based violence, promoting pay transparency and accountability, and providing a platform for women to connect and share their stories.
Loved by over 8 million students, our easy-to-use online student planner app is available on Apple’s App Store, the Google Play Store and can be accessed on the web. This means that you can use My Study Life anywhere and on any device.
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