Minister of Communication and Digital (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid conveyed the importance of increasing women's participation in science and technology to meet the need for talent in efforts to achieve digital economic growth.
"Indonesia is projected to need 12 million digital talents by 2030. The challenge is not just about numbers, but about equal access for girls to participate and grow within it," she said, as quoted in a ministry press release on Sunday.
Meutya highlighted the leaky pipeline phenomenon , or the decreasing number of women pursuing careers in technology, while attending the AWS Girls' Tech Day event in Bekasi, Saturday (7/2).
He cited data showing that women's participation in digital training reached 36 percent. However, only around 17 percent actually pursue professional careers in technology.
"In Indonesia, deep technical roles like AI and engineering only involve around 15 to 18 percent of women. We must ensure that digital access translates into real skills and job opportunities," said Meutya.
He stated that there are still several factors that hinder women from pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ( STEM ), including gender stereotypes, lack of a sense of security, and lack of role models.
