The Future is Equal: Gender Equality in the Technology Industry」is has been published by the UNESCAP in partnership with Republic of Korea, China, and Japan
조회수831등록일2021-10-08
「The Future is Equal: Gender Equality in the Technology Industry」 has been published by the UNESCAP in partnership with Republic of Korea, China, and Japan.
- WISET collaborates with UNESCAP on research aiming to advance gender equality in science, engineering, and technology. -
- Present good practices for enhancing gender equality in the technology industry as well as recommendations for achieving gender equality. -
The Korea Foundation for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (WISET) published the Korean version of the report “The Future is Equal: Gender Equality in the Technology Industry” on October 7, 2021. This report was prepared by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) East and Northeast Asia Office, in partnership with WISET, Center for Gender Equality of Nagoya University, and Ladies Who Tech. This report aims to build a knowledge base focused on improving gender equality in workplaces related to the technology industry, thereby focusing on the experiences of women in the Republic of Korea, China, and Japan.
“Gender equality” is the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. During the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, gender imbalance in science, engineering, and technology significantly impacted women's economic opportunities and empowerment. The international community recognized the gender gap as a key problem and thus promoted this research project. In particular, the Republic of Korea, China, and Japan are countries with notable gender gaps, compared to their high technological level; therefore, this study focused on these three countries*.
*China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 5th, respectively, in terms of value-added in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector worldwide (UNCTAD, 2019). In contrast, they ranked 107th, 120st, and 102nd in the 2021 Global Gender Gap Index (GGI, 2021).
This report includes the following information:
- Status of gender equality in the technology industry
- Key barriers to gender equality in the workplace
Public policies on gender equality
- Good practices for promoting gender equality in technology companies Collective actions to accelerate the achievement of gender equality
This report describes public policy on gender equality in the Republic of Korea, China, and Japan (Chapter 3), as well as gender equality good practices in technology companies (Chapter 4). The report also provides actionable suggestions for policymakers, the private sector, and other stakeholders to remedy gender inequality in the technology industry and beyond (Chapter 5).
Thirteen* companies in Northeast Asia were highlighted as examples of good gender equality practices. Specific examples related to companies include efforts to eliminate gender inequality in the hiring process and working conditions of companies, support for work-family balance, and fostering women’s talent.
* (Republic of Korea) SK C&C, KT Corporation, Lotte Engineering & Construction, Schneider Electric Korea, Emerson Korea
(China) Alibaba, Microsoft China, Didi Chuxing, SAP, China
(Japan) Accenture Japan Ltd, INES Corporation, Oracle Corporation Japan, DoCoMo CS Hokuriku Inc.
In particular, emphasized the efforts of both the public and private sectors for promoting gender equality in the workplace and empowering women in the technology industry. The recommendations for each stakeholder are as follows.
* International Organization
- Forge a consensus on the principles and guidelines regarding gender equality.
- Support member states because they set global standards for achieving gender equality.
- Provide companies with the guidance required to adopt a gender-responsive approach toinnovation within their company.
* Government
- Strengthen institutional monitoring and evaluation processes for greater accountability.
- Take the lead position in improving women’s representation.
- Ensure adequate provision of public services.
- Offer assistance for career development.
- Introduce measures for incentivizing gender equality practices.
- Launch publicity campaigns to combat traditional stereotypes and promote women in leadership roles.
* Company
- Dedicate resources to monitor and evaluate gender equality in the workplace with specific and measurable targets.
- Introduce measures to overcome conscious and unconscious bias in hiring and promotion processes.
- Increase transparency in compensation and career development.
- Support the work-life balance of all employees.
- Strengthen training, leadership development programs, and professional networks to support female employees.
□ The COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the adoption of technology and thus exacerbated gender inequality xss-xss-xss-xss-embedded in the existing social structure. Therefore, to ensure companies can build back better, gender equality should be at the forefront of the recovery agenda to maximize profits in the post-COVID-19 workplace.
ㅇ To conclude, societies should strive for gender equality because it is a moral and practical choice. Companies with higher gender parity perform better, and citizens in countries with higher gender equality are more likely to better off for it.
□ WISET Chairman Dr. Hye Yeon Ahn stated that “I am delighted to be able to collaborate on this significant research conducted by UNESCAP. This report suggests the direction that the government and companies should adopt for ensuring gender equality in the science, engineering, and technology fields and thus contribute to the improvement of gender equality in the science, engineering, and technology industry in South Korea.” She also stated: “In the future, WISET will expand its support for nurturing gender-balanced talent in science and technology and spreading a culture of diversity and inclusion.”