Bahrain succeeds in closing gender gap in technology

TDT | Manama                           

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com    

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

Many activities and projects to enhance female involvement in technology are focused on attracting women to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related qualifications.

As a result, Bahrain boosted success in closing the gender gap. Women comprise 42% of those who enrolled in STEM degrees in the most recent academic year, greatly above the rates in developed nations like the US.

According to the World Bank’s Human Capital Index, the Kingdom is in the top five countries globally for women outperforming men in learning outcomes and drawn more towards technical and vocational education.

Strong performance in secondary school means girls are more willing to consider continuing their studies in STEM subjects at a degree level. Nonetheless, it requires collective efforts from the government and the education sector to capitalise on that willingness by encouraging more girls to enroll in STEM courses.

The figures which show that the proportion of women studying STEM degrees is higher than the proportion working in Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The Kingdom is still trying to get better at translating the pipeline of STEM graduates into the labour force.

Earlier, The Daily Tribune reported that many women see the male-dominated nature of the tech field as a barrier, especially in GGC which results in some STEM graduates choosing an alternative career path while others do not enter the labour market at all.

Initiatives in the Kingdom include the women in FinTech, network, a joint initiative of government and industry, and Standard Chartered Bank’s Women in Tech program, which encourages early-stage startups with training, a demo day, and incubation for winners at Bahrain FinTech Bay.

However, the report says that women still face obstacles as they comprise only 21% of workers who earn more than BD1,500 per month. Shaikh Nayla Ali Al Khalifa, Director of Communications and Knowledge Management at the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies, said in a statement: “I believe women have great vision. With a proven track record of competency and work ethics, empowering and supporting them can contribute capital in the Kingdom and Gulf in general.

“Women have come a long way in our area, and they continue to advance on many fronts and achieve in many fields. Today, we are proud of the accomplishments of Bahraini talent, particularly Bahraini women who have proven that they can contribute and flourish in a variety of fields.”