Trend presents an interview with the Founder and CEO of Femmes Digitales – Public Association: “Supporting Women in TECH” Jana Krimpe.
How did the idea to create an association to support women in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) come up? What is the role of the association? Tell us the details...
The idea to establish “Supporting Women in TECH” - “Femmes Digitales” Public Union originated from my active participation in predominantly male-dominated professional meetings, consultations, conferences, and related technology events after founding B.EST Solutions Azerbaijan - the IT company, which operates the qualified mobile electronic signature "Asan Imza." This led me to question the absence of women in Azerbaijan's technology field. Consequently, the idea emerged to find and unite with women, willing to form an organization dedicated to supporting women in tech field. As our organization celebrates its 9th anniversary this year, our primary objective is to showcase the accomplishments of women in technology in Azerbaijan, provide support to those, who are still uncertain about their career choices or unaware of the significance of technology in both professional and everyday life. Over time, Femmes Digitales has grown into one of the largest communities supporting women in TECH industry and advocating for changes that contribute to their success. Operating as a non-profit organization, we strive to empower women in all areas of science and technology to pursue their aspirations. We acknowledge the substantial contributions made by women to societal development and economic growth and actively operate to ensure that they receive deserved recognition and opportunities. Our outmost goal is to foster an inspiring and supportive environment where women can realize their potential, achieve professional growth, and attain remarkable results. Moreover, we actively address the challenges faced by women in the technology industry and draw attention to gender inequality issues.
There are abundant opportunities for young people in Baku, such as a variety of conferences, courses, and exhibitions. However, these opportunities are mostly absent in the regions, which motivated us to establish a regional program. Our primary goal is to bridge this gap and offer girls from the regions the chance to personally interact with women, who have reached significant accomplishments in this area. We strive to break stereotypes and provide girls from the regions with the opportunity to personally meet with leading women in the field of technology, learn about their remarkable experience, gain fundamental skills in coding, and realize the significance of IT education. By organizing rural workshops, we bring together schoolgirls from 7-9th grades across the region with aim to attain interest in the tech field and shape future career choices. Each regional event attracts over 70 students from diverse urban and rural schools in various parts of Azerbaijan.
I take pride in mentioning that we have successfully organized 7 regional events in Masalli, Guba, Gabala, Shamakhi, Mingachevir, Lankaran, and Ismayilli cities. These philanthropic events have benefited over 700 girls from different regions. During the initial phase, we familiarize the girls with the fundamentals of startups and the process of generating innovative ideas using information technology. Later, the schoolgirls present their inventive projects and outline their implementation plans within teams. Afterward, during the practical session, STEP IT Academy mentors introduce girls to the basics of programming and robotics.
Upon the event conclusion, all schoolgirls are presented with diplomas and souvenirs. These programs serve as a tremendous source of motivation for us - over the years of the program’s existence, we have noticed the raise of talented girls from the regions being admitted to faculties of information technology, both in Azerbaijan and abroad. Such achievements have been made possible through networking opportunities with our esteemed female technology leaders. I want to emphasize the fact that there are a lot of smart and remarkable girls with innovative ideas in the regions with the potential to become leading experts in the field of technology in the future.
2. How do you assess the potential of Azerbaijani girls in the field of IT?
In Azerbaijan, just like in any other country, girls possess immense potential. However, societal stereotypes have led parents to overlook the importance of investing in STEM education for their daughters. Girls often lack self-assurance, fearing mistakes or not attaining excellence, while also believing that certain specialties in the technology field are not meant for women. These stereotypes serve as obstacles to the progress of female entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, I can confidently say that Azerbaijani women are exceptionally talented, remarkably innovative, and brimming with vast potential and opportunities. Most importantly, they are driven by great motivation.
Our initiative, the "AWITA - Azerbaijan Women in IT Awards," was specifically created to inspire and motivate women, empowering them to celebrate their accomplishments and make their mark in society. The main goal of this event is to promote gender equality in the country's digital economy, acknowledge the significant role women play in the field of information technology, and establish a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration among IT professionals. We have already hosted three successful annual awards ceremonies, and it is noteworthy that the number of women participating in the competition has consistently grown with each subsequent event.
More than 200 women from all regions of the country have applied to participate in the AWITA 2023 Awards. The selection process involved a jury panel comprising 33 experts, including public figures, leaders of well-known IT companies, and parliament members. They meticulously chose 33 finalists and 12 winners. This serves as a tangible proof of the increasing influence of women in the field of information and communication technologies in Azerbaijan. The esteemed award not only recognizes women's accomplishments in the IT sector, but also serves as an inspiration for other women to overcome obstacles and pursue success.
The "AWITA 2023" ceremony witnessed the participation of over 400 prominent figures from the IT industry, public and government sectors, leading university executives, students, school directors, and esteemed ambassadors and diplomats from various countries accredited in Azerbaijan. We take immense pride in the increasing attention and recognition the AWITA ceremony receives from society and the media, as it helps us reach a wider audience and raise awareness about the remarkable contributions of women in Azerbaijan's technology sector. Our ultimate objective is to promote the professional advancement of women in the field of information technology and foster outstanding achievements. AWITA plays a pivotal role in shaping a positive
perception of women in the ICT industry, by breaking stereotypes and acknowledging their exceptional accomplishments.
I would like to share some inspiring real-life examples. One remarkable young woman, who graduated from university and received the prestigious AWITA award, is now a doctor in the field of artificial intelligence, working at MercedesBenz in Germany. Her journey exemplifies how support and recognition can lead to impressive professional growth and achievements.
I would also like to tell the story of another girl who, thanks to our regional program, was able to persuade her parents to change their decision regarding her education. She shifted her focus from pursuing a teaching career to embrace education in the field of information technology. This example highlights how our influence and workshops can empower young women to explore new possibilities and reshape their futures. And these stories are just a glimpse of the numerous success stories we have witnessed.
These narratives represent a fraction of the many instances in which our organization, Femmes Digitales, has influenced the career development and triumphs of women in the field of information technology in Azerbaijan. We are extremely proud to support and inspire even more women to excel in this dynamic and innovative realm.
How can Women's National Business Agenda help attract more women to IT?
The Women’s National Business Agenda (WNBA) is an initiative supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at supporting businesswomen and creating equal opportunities for them. Although the WNBA's primary focus is not specifically on IT, it has incorporated two crucial objectives into its agenda that directly relate to the goal of increasing female representation in the technology field:
Increasing number of women top managers and employees; Gender statistics within the public and private sectors.
Based on the experience of our nonprofit organization, I assume the following steps are necessary to address this issue:
Enhancing awareness: The WNBA can organize information campaigns, events, and forums dedicated to discussing the opportunities and advantages of pursuing careers in IT for women. This approach will help to elaborate on knowledge about various career paths and prospects in the industry.
Education and support: The WNBA can offer educational programs and training sessions to enable women to develop the skills necessary for a successful IT career. This may encompass training programs in programming, application development, project management, and other critical competencies.
Networking: The WNBA can contribute to fostering coordination among women communities in IT, where they can exchange experiences, mentorship, and support each other. This will foster to alleviate issues of isolation and establish connections with professionals in the industry.
Increasing visibility and recognition: The WNBA can work towards enhancing the recognition of women in IT through events, competitions, and awards. This will highlight the achievements of women in TECH and inspire others to join.
I am pleased to acknowledge our organization's contribution to the WNBA platform. We actively support the achievement of goals such as raising awareness among women in the IT sphere and recognizing highly skilled women in this domain. On May 17, 2023, at the SHE (Smart, Happy, Equal) Congress, we hosted a panel session titled "Female make ICT, STEAM, Tech, and AI", supported by USAID. The main objective of this panel session was to promote gender equality in the technology industry.
Within the panel session, our objective was to enhance awareness among influential leaders, identify the challenges and opportunities for empowering women in the technology field, and foster dialogue to establish the best practices for addressing this pertinent issue. Our aim was to create a strong platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences that would drive progress in achieving gender equality and inspire women to achieve further advancements in the technology industry.