Empowering women and girls through the digital sector

25.1.2018

Question for oral answer O-000004/2018
to the Commission
Rule 128
Agnieszka Kozłowska-Rajewicz, on behalf of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

The rapidly progressing digitalisation of various sectors is changing the nature of employment, as well as the requirements of the labour market and education. Provided women have access to relevant resources to enhance their e-skills, digitalisation can function as an opportunity to increase women’s labour market participation and pay levels while improving the work-life balance and boosting female entrepreneurship. A 2013 Commission report demonstrates that equal participation of women in the ICT sector would contribute as much as EUR 9 billion to the EU economy every year. However, there is a persisting digital gap between women and men as regards basic and advanced e-skills, access to digital technologies and services, and women’s share of digitalised jobs. According to the Commission’s projections, the majority of jobs in the EU in the near future will require some digital skills, and the fastest rise in job vacancies is occurring in the ICT sector: there is therefore an urgent need to support e-literacy for women and girls.

1. Does the Commission plan to conduct a study to identify the systemic causes of the growing gender gap in digital skills and access to digital tools and services, in relation to both advanced and basic technologies?

2. What actions is the Commission undertaking to promote and disseminate e-skills and digital literacy among girls? What educational actions - e.g. encouraging the ‘ability to code’ - are taking place for women of all ages and occupational groups?

3. Does the Commission plan to conduct actions under the ‘E-skills for jobs’ campaign aimed at girls in particular?

4. Is the Commission considering taking further measures, together with the Member States, to enhance the attractiveness and value of skills in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and to encourage women and girls to take up and continue the study of those subjects?