Embracing technology to advance women's empowerment
Not only is International Women’s Day a time to celebrate women across the world, we can also use this as an opportunity to appreciate how technology is breaking down barriers for women worldwide. While new technology is providing benefits to nearly everyone, women are historically under-represented and under-supported in critical areas such as healthcare, education, and business, so advances are especially impactful for this population.
Technology is transforming women's lives by providing them with digital tools that enhance their well-being, drive their professional growth, and enable active participation in the global economy. Here are some examples of how technological innovation is making a difference:
- Health and wellness: Technology has changed access to maternal healthcare and critical patient information. A World Health Organization (WHO) study highlights the impact of digital health tools in areas such as gynecology, obstetrics, psychiatry, nutrition and physical activity. Apps now allow women to track symptoms and medication use in real time, while providing doctors with more accurate data that can lead to faster diagnoses and more effective treatment. Telehealth services offer remote support for mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, ensuring that women — especially those in remote areas — have access to care that may not have previously been available. These digital tools promote self-management, empower women to make informed decisions about their health, and contribute to improved health outcomes by bridging gaps in accessibility and care continuity.
- Education: Online learning is an increasingly important tool for improving skills and progressively acquiring practical skills for the job market. However, there is a gender gap in course participation, according to a UN Women report. The report shows that women are still underrepresented in the information and communication technology (ICT) and artificial intelligence (AI), with only 22 % of the AI workforce being female.
According to UNESCO’s Technology on Her Terms report, digital technology is transforming education by providing learning opportunities to groups who might otherwise have difficulty accessing them, especially in crisis situations. Online platforms can break down barriers to education by offering students personalized learning experiences tailored to different needs, including self-paced learning through video tutorials and interactive exercises.
It is beneficial to encourage girls and women to take advantage of these opportunities. Online learning platforms and digital resources make education more accessible, flexible, and affordable, as seen in initiatives such as Malala Fund, which provides scholarships and advocates for policy changes to support girls' education worldwide. - Economy: Technology empowers women by providing them with the skills, tools and resources needed to start and expand their businesses, fostering financial independence and enhancing decision-making power. E-commerce platforms, digital marketing tools, and online banking and payment systems improve market access, allowing people to reach customers around the world and significantly contribute to the financial stability of their households. This economic empowerment can translate into improved living standards, better education, and enhanced healthcare for their families.
Programs like #TodasConectadas, which connects 3.8 million women in Latin America to technology and entrepreneurship training, and the Technovation Girls tool, which has trained 150,000 young women over the past 15 years in innovation and business development, are some examples of key drivers to increase women’s participation in the workforce, strengthen their communities, and drive sustainable economic growth. According to the World Economic Forum, helping women start and grow businesses could generate between $ 5 trillion and $ 6 trillion in new global economic output. - Flexibility in personal and professional life: The accessibility of mobile technology and digital tools allows many women to take advantage of opportunities that were previously out of reach. For example, technology is helping to expand access to employment for women who may need to work from home or who need flexible schedules to coordinate domestic, childcare, or eldercare responsibilities that often fall to women to support.
Critical infrastructure for empowerment
Improving women's access to digital communications technologies can have a very positive impact in several areas of development. For example, a Moody’s analysis estimates that closing the gender gap in labor force participation and leadership in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries could boost global economic activity by 7%, or about $7 trillion. Achieving gender parity in leadership roles can unlock significant economic growth, but barriers such unequal family responsibilities, limited networks, and higher performance standards for women persist. In developing countries, where the potential impact is even greater, digital tools that enable online education, and flexible business models are tools that can help to closing these gaps.
Data centers are the heart of all of the technology that enables women to improve their positions. And behind every data center, power and cooling critical digital infrastructure plays a key role in supporting these tools and applications. Vertiv provides critical digital infrastructure technologies to data centers of all sizes, helping to accelerate progress by expanding access to innovation and connectivity. With our portfolio of power, cooling, and services, we enable data centers to operate reliably and efficiently to meet business needs and requirements. Click here to learn how Vertiv’s portfolio can support digital empowerment.
This International Women's Day, learn more about how technology and women are driving the data center industry.
