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    'STEM is a viable career for women, they should be given the right tools to create a gender-equal world'

    Synopsis

    Selina Yuan said female executives make up 34% of Alibaba Cloud's total workforce.

    Selina Yuan​ believes ​educating women is the most important step to tackling inequality.Agencies
    Selina Yuan believes educating women is the most important step to tackling inequality.
    By Selina Yuan

    For women, mere empowerment is not enough. For years, women have been struggling to make a gender-equal world. While the change is evident, it is a slow-moving process.

    The World Economic Forum's 2020 Global Gender Gap Report unveiled that only 26 per cent of job roles in artificial intelligence (AI) and big data were filled by females. This gender gap is even more apparent in cloud-related roles where women only make up 12 per cent of the entire workforce.

    Moreover, during Alibaba Group's third Global Conference on Women and Entrepreneurship in 2019, Melinda Gates cited a study sharing that the global economy could grow by an estimated $28 trillion by 2025 if women participated in the economy at an equal level as men. These statistics hint at the barriers faced by women everywhere, holding them back from achieving their full potential. Imagine the positive differences that women could make if they were given the opportunity to participate equally in the global economy.

    One area which lacks female representation is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The world needs to change its mindset and believe that tech is a viable career path for women. Other than that, women should also be given the right tools and support to tackle this inequality, starting with education. However, in the recent years, many organisations have shown an urgency and need to bring women into the fold for critical innovation and progress in STEM.


    Alibaba Cloud has tried to unlock greater opportunities for the development of women in the technology sector. It has partnered with top post-secondary and higher learning institutions across Asia to nurture a strong pipeline of female AI talent in the region. In Singapore, it is working with secondary schools to provide AI training programs to students and raise interest in science-related subjects amongst female students.

    From the world-renowned data intelligence scientists to product architects who plan digital transformation in emerging markets, women can be seen in different roles at Alibaba Cloud. Women represent almost half of the organisation, with female executives making up 34 per cent of our total workforce.

    Looking ahead, collaboration is key. Social issues such as inequality and the lack of access to opportunities can’t be solved overnight by one individual. It takes systemic and society-wide awareness, and action for long-term change. It is important to groom the next-generation technology leaders by encouraging businesses and society at large to invest, reflect and create new opportunities towards a gender-equal world.

    (The author is President of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence)


    (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)
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