Although closing the gender gap has been a topic for years, with awareness campaigns and investment in education, women remain significantly underrepresented in digital careers and leadership roles across Europe
A new EU-funded initiative, Connecting Women in Digital, is aiming to change that trajectory by shifting the focus from isolated interventions to coordinated, system-level change.
Supported by the EU’s DIGITAL Programme, Connecting Women in Digital brings together policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and civil society to tackle gender inequality in the digital domain through structured dialogue and shared evidence.
28DIGITAL is one of the contributors, providing expertise in digital policy, regulation, and stakeholder engagement.
From fragmented efforts to systemic change
Rather than proposing standalone solutions, Connecting Women in Digital recognises that women’s participation in the digital economy is shaped by a complex ecosystem. Education pathways, workplace cultures, policy incentives, leadership structures, and broader social norms all influence whether women can enter, remain, and progress in digital careers.
A big part of Connecting Women in Digital is a pan-European Forum that enables Member States and stakeholders to analyse national strategies, identify gaps, and exchange effective practices. This collaborative space is designed to align policy priorities across countries and encourage long-term, coordinated action rather than short-term fixes.
Thematic working groups drive focused action
To translate dialogue into concrete outcomes, the Forum operates through thematic working groups. Two groups currently open to participants focus on ICT Education Path and Leadership Empowerment, examining how early education choices and career progression frameworks affect women’s representation in digital roles.
Two additional working groups were established in December: Reprogramming Skills: VET as a Catalyst for Women’s Digital Transitions, which explores the role of vocational education and training, and Intersectional Approaches, which addresses how overlapping social factors shape access to digital opportunities.
A big change in the consortium came on 14 November 2025, with the launch of the Women in Digital Index at the Digital Skills EU Days summit in Brussels. The Index hopes to provide a more comprehensive picture of gender equality in digital by tracking women’s participation across the entire pipeline.
The methodology standardises data on a 0–100 scale and organises it into five weighted pillars: STEM, ICT, Digital Jobs, Leadership, and Enabling Environment. It combines established data sources such as PISA, Eurostat, and national statistics with insights from the Women in Digital Survey, which collected responses from more than 4,400 ICT professionals across the EU.
Progress slows at senior levels
Early findings from the Index confirm a familiar pattern. While many Member States have made progress in increasing women’s participation in STEM and ICT education, this momentum weakens as careers advance. In several countries, women hold fewer than a quarter of senior digital leadership roles.
Survey results show persistent structural barriers, including the impact of gender norms, unequal workplace expectations, and limited access to leadership opportunities. These challenges suggest that the issue is not a lack of talent but a lack of systems that enable women to progress into decision-making positions.
A shared evidence base for better policy
28DIGITAL views the Women in Digital Index as a practical tool for policymakers, investors, and industry leaders. By offering a shared evidence base, the Index supports more targeted policymaking, smarter investment decisions, and stronger public–private collaboration.
In early 2026, the consortium will publish the State of Women in Digital Report, providing a deeper analysis and concrete policy recommendations informed by feedback from Member States.
