In an interview with PNVN Newspaper reporter, Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Quyen, Ambassador of Women in Tech in Vietnam, Vice President of Vietnam Digital Technology Alliance, President and General Director of SHAREWORK Joint Stock Company, said that, in terms of natural and practical factors, women's capacity is not inferior to men in the technology field.
PV: Many statistics show that the percentage of women working in the technology sector is still low. In your opinion, what are the consequences of gender inequality in this field?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Quyen: Internationally, although governments and organizations have many policies and programs to reduce the gender gap in the technology industry, in reality, women still face many challenges, from participating in the workforce to holding leadership and management positions.
According to statistics from the International Labor Organization (ILO), the proportion of female workers in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) accounts for only 25%. This rate in Vietnam is higher than the world average but still only reaches about 35%.
In particular, women are less likely to be appointed to leadership positions and are often paid less than men for doing the same work.
This situation causes many consequences. First of all, the low proportion of female labor force causes a lack of diversity in the development of technology products and services.
Many technology products and services do not meet the needs and characteristics of women and do not encompass different perspectives in society. Furthermore, women are rarely assigned to leadership positions, which makes them less likely to create policies to close the gender gap.
Due to social prejudice and the above-mentioned reality, many girls face gender stereotypes about careers. While society encourages boys to study STEM subjects, girls receive less encouragement.
The lack of women in leadership roles also leaves society lacking role models to inspire young women to enter the technology industry.
PV: As someone who has worked in this field for many years, in your opinion, in terms of natural ability, are women inferior to men when participating in technology fields?
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Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Quyen: I have not seen any scientific research proving that women are inferior to men in the field of technology. In general, men and women have the same ability to receive, process information, solve problems, as well as the ability to create and develop technology.
The scientific and technological revolution is a good opportunity for women to affirm their role, not only in work and life but also in the development of humanity. Women need to believe in their abilities, persistently pursue their passions and career goals. When faced with opposition or underestimation, they need to focus on proving their worth with real ability.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Quyen, Ambassador of Women in Tech in Vietnam, Vice President of Vietnam Digital Technology Alliance, President and General Director of SHAREWORK Joint Stock Company
The differences, if any, are largely due to societal factors and how each gender is raised and educated. In fact, there are many women who excel in STEM fields. It’s just that they often get less recognition or opportunities to develop their careers than men.
Women are no less than men in adopting and applying technology in their daily lives. In fact, women are increasingly dominating the use of social media platforms and online tools to build communities, spread information, and even develop online businesses.
PV: In your opinion, what opportunities does today's scientific and technological revolution bring to women? And what should women do to seize this opportunity?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Quyen : In the age of technology and digital economy, intelligence and soft skills play a decisive role, so women have many opportunities both in work and personal life. Technology is also the foundation, the "key" to help eliminate gender inequality.
However, to do that, women need to be aware of and overcome certain barriers and they also need to receive a lot of support.
Women in Tech has hosted a number of workshops on how to help women overcome these barriers, which we call glass ceilings.
The conclusions from those workshops suggest that, to take advantage of this opportunity, women need to seek out strong support networks, including mentors, organizations that support women in technology, and online communities.
PV: From the experience of countries with developed science and technology, what policies should we design to promote the potential and enhance the role of women in this process?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Quyen: Countries with developed science and technology all have policies to promote women's potential in the technology field. In the US, Canada, and Nordic countries such as Sweden, Finland, Norway, etc., there are many policies and organizations that encourage women to participate in STEM fields from high school.
The Israeli government has many policies to support women starting businesses in the technology industry, even having a separate investment fund for female entrepreneurs. Or in France, Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron is the patron of the non-profit organization Women In Tech, of which I am the Ambassador in Vietnam.
Technology companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft… have implemented programs to create equal opportunities for women and encourage them in the technology field.
As a country that is promoting the application of science and technology in many areas of life, I think that Vietnam should soon design a synchronous policy to eliminate gender inequality and promote women's potential in science and technology.
If these policies are effectively implemented, the country's technological capacity will increase significantly. Moreover, this is also an important solution to promote gender equality, helping Vietnam develop sustainably according to the United Nations' orientation.
PV: Thank you!
Women in Tech is a non-profit organization sponsored by the French Government, aiming to promote and support women in the technology sector. The organization is currently present in 60 countries. In Vietnam, Women in Tech focuses on the following activities: Organizing training courses; cooperating with companies and educational institutions to provide scholarships for female students and career opportunities in technology for women; connecting women with domestic and foreign technology experts and organizations; connecting experts and leaders in the industry with young women with potential, helping them develop their careers and access higher career opportunities; organizing events, forums and conferences to raise awareness of gender equality in the technology sector, sharing success stories to inspire and encourage women to participate in the technology sector.
Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/cach-mang-40-la-co-hoi-tot-de-thuc-day-binh-dang-gioi-20250122161025812.htm
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