Encouraging Fijian women to pursue ICT careers
Sereana Narayan, Communications Associate at UN Women in Fiji, has observed the lack of women in information and communication technology (ICT) roles. She joined up with a group called the Girls and Women in ICT, who hold an annual forum to discuss the issues facing women in this industry.
Members of this group visit job fairs and inform companies of the benefits of gender diversity, and inspire women to pursue careers in ICT. Employers are encouraged to reduce gender stereotypes in job descriptions, set targets to hire women in technology roles, and build gender-diverse teams.
“We’ve found that a major barrier to women entering the ICT field is this deep-rooted idea that it is only for men,” says Sereana. “We need to break this mindset and raise awareness in Fiji that women can be successful in ICT roles.”