Economic inequality and the "Matilda effect". How women break into the field of technology contrary to gender stereotypes, 08 March 2023

[Summary translation prepared by Business and Human Rights Resource Center]

... According to the study of 'Built In' community for startups and tech companies, women occupy only 14% of positions in software development and 25% of the posts related to informatics. In 2022, the number of female programmers increased by only 2%. In Russia, according to the STACK Overflow survey for 2020, only 7.7% of women are software developers...

Despite the fact that the analysis of the financial indicators of large companies from Europe and BRIC countries showed that companies whose boards included two or more women are 41% ahead in their field in terms of their equity profitability, the share of women in the boards of Russian companies is only 7%...

Study by 'Women in Tech' shows that in Russia 56% of female employees in IT setor at least once faced the statement that "technology is not for girls." In Belarus, even more women face such gender stereotypes that it is an exclusively male profession. According to the study "Path to IT for Belarus women: myths, fears, obstacles", 95% of respondents at least once heard in their address: "You can’t go there because you are a girl."...

[According to Belarus researchers] 57% of women face the statement that technical sciences are easier for men, and humanitarian subjects are closer to women...

According to 'Women in Tech' study, 65% of IT female specialists in Russia are forced to work exclusively in men's groups...

"One situation is often repeated. When there are two representatives from the company at a meeting - me and a man - there is more likelihood that all attention and clarifying questions will be addressed to the man. It may take a long time to win customers' trust before they see a specialist in you," - shares EXTYL analyst Margarita...