Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, marked Women’s Day by emphasizing the critical role of women in Pakistan’s digital transformation. She emphasized that technological advancement and national progress cannot be achieved without ensuring full gender inclusion. The Minister reaffirmed the ministry's dedication to bridging the digital gender divide, highlighting its ongoing efforts to empower women through technology. The Digital Pakistan Policy and ICT for Girls Program have been instrumental in enhancing women’s access to technology by establishing computer labs in girls' schools, particularly in underserved areas. As a result, the mobile internet awareness gender divide has reduced to 11%, and women’s mobile internet usage has doubled to 19%. The Ministry of IT & Telecom is actively expanding digital inclusion programs to ensure women benefit from enhanced opportunities in education, skill-building, financial technology, and telehealth. The establishment of Software Technology Parks (STPs) across Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, with 65 IT setups, including dedicated facilities for women, is fostering an environment where female entrepreneurs and professionals can thrive. Currently, 29% of Pakistan’s IT workforce and 20% of professionals in STPs are women. The eight National Incubation Centers (NICs), which incubated 229 startups last year, have further strengthened the support for women in tech entrepreneurship, with 30% of these startups being women-led. The NICs also mandate that at least 25% of their founders be women, creating a more inclusive and diverse startup ecosystem To further accelerate women’s participation in Pakistan’s digital economy, the Ministry of IT & Telecom is set to increase female representation in digital skills programs from 23% to 33%. The ministry is also planning to develop and launch the Women Innovation and Startup Empowerment (WISE) Lab, which will support at least 20 women-led startups annually and train 200 female micro-entrepreneurs each year across all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir through targeted boot camps. In partnership with UNESCO Pakistan and other key stakeholders, the ministry has introduced the Digital Gender Inclusion Strategy, aimed at removing the barriers that limit women’s access to technology. Through continued policy reforms and initiatives focused on women’s empowerment in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and data science, the Ministry of IT & Telecom remains committed to positioning women at the forefront of Pakistan’s digital progress.
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