European Code of Best Practices for Women and ICT European and International stake holders in the Information and Telecommunications sector recognise that:
- The number of young people studying and choosing careers in ICT is decreasing; and is not keeping up with growing demand.
- An important skills gap is predicted in the sector and the shortage will affect all parts of the globe;
- A shortage of qualified staff in the ICT sector will seriously weaken the whole economy;
- Qualified ICT staff, whether working in the ICT sector or other sectors, often drift away from their areas of special expertise towards other activities.;
- Women are under-represented at all levels in the ICT sector;
- Women are especially under-represented in decision-making positions in the ICT sector;
- Successfully encouraging women to enter and stay in the sector could be a significant part of the solution for the skills gap;
- A Code of Best Practices for Women in ICT would be a useful start in the process of solving the skills gap problem.
Attracting more women into ICT jobs will not just help to address a problem that risks damaging the whole economy, but also contributes to realising equal opportunities goals and empowers women by enhancing their capacity to participate fully in the information society and shape its development.
