Armenian women have done the hardest in the field of IT ․ broke the stereotype that this is not a woman’s place․ Lusine Tangyan

The number of women working in the IT sector in the world is very limited – about 13%. In Armenia, meanwhile, this number reaches about 35%. This is an exceptional indicator, which gives grounds for optimism. WomenNet.am talks about women’s involvement in IT, current problems, education and stereotypes.

What is the current activity of the Union of ICT Employers?

– The sphere of education is always in the center of the Union’s attention, as we believe that only through education it is possible to ensure the sustainable development of the country. Our union has 46 member organizations, including the leading higher education institutions in Armenia. We have been implementing an ICT educational program in a number of schools in Armenia since 2010, and in 2020 we received a grant from Synopsys to teach artificial intelligence in schools. Of course, the epidemic became a challenge for the implementation of this course, we had to digitize the courses, but the process did not stop. In addition, we have launched an international technology conference called Silicon Mountains. With this program, we aim to position our country in the world as a country of technologically advanced, offering engineering solutions, highly qualified specialists. Silicon Mountains unites not only school-university educational programs, but also international technology summits and regional conferences. We will spread throughout Armenia, spreading quality technological education, ICT solutions in various sectors of the economy, contributing to the strengthening of the country. This ambitious project is a challenge to the world and to ourselves. The Silicon Mountains International Technology Summit is a 1-2-day event dedicated to the application of smart solutions in various sectors of the economy.

– The regional schools are in the center of the Union’s attention. What programs do you implement especially for children living in the regions?

– Yes, despite the fact that in recent years many companies are trying to direct their activities to the regions, it is obvious that the educational opportunities in Yerevan and the regions are still very different. Our goal is to provide the best educational opportunities for students living in the provinces. To this end, for example, we hold the Silicon Mountains Regional Technology Conference, bringing together representatives of leading organizations, startups, and regional organizations. Within the framework of the event, panel discussions are held on the dissemination of ICT tools in the regions.

– You mentioned the activity of women and girls involved in the IT sector in recent years. In your opinion, what does the unprecedented number of women working in the field in Armenia testify to?

– First of all, it should be noted that yes, the number of women involved in the IT sector in Armenia reaches 35%. This is truly an unprecedented figure in the whole world. I have several explanations for this. First of all, we must admit that we Armenians are inclined towards mathematics, technologies, exact sciences, this is our unique feature. In addition, I think that the general development of the sector, especially the involvement of women, was greatly facilitated by the fact that the IT sector was considered a priority for the state. This contributed to the increase of interest in the sphere, the creation of new educational opportunities. It is not insignificant that times have changed, in many cases girls are no longer guided by social stereotypes in their choice of profession or job. If a girl is confident in her abilities, skills, her mind, the IT field is just right for her. We women have an advantage here ․ Unlike men, we are “multitasking”, that is, we are able to focus on several problems at once, to solve them at the same time.

– Of course, we should not ignore the unprecedented representation of women in the IT sector, but it should be noted that women in the IT sector, as a rule, are satisfied with low or medium positions. In the same way, there are no women in leading positions in the organizations of the sphere. How do you explain this?

– In fact, I do not see discrimination here. Of course, I have heard stories of discrimination, but I usually argue about it. I have before my eyes many stories of women who prove the exact opposite. I think that discriminatory treatment, if it is done by the employer, largely depends on the human factor. Knowing the patriarchal notions of our society, I want to say that in my opinion, women in the IT sector have broken the biggest stereotype that this is not a woman’s place. The rest, I think, are derivative problems that will be solved over time, as a result of experience and education. In this sense, I am very optimistic.

Full text in Armenian