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Article

25 Jan 2016

Author:
Henrietta Moore, Guardian (UK)

World Economic Forum challenged to improve its own gender balance in order to tackle global digital gender divide

"Davos: how can an event that's 82% male solve the digital gender divide?", 19 Jan 2016

…[T]he World Economic Forum’s annual meeting…this year focuses on the transforming power of technology…Last year’s delegate list was 83% male…And this year the female quotient has only increased by 1%. So while transforming the…future…through technology is a worthy topic for debate…[t]oo many women are being excluded from the technological revolution…It’s vital that this industrial revolution doesn’t entrench gender divides. The digital exclusion of women is primarily a product of social inequalities…This…digital exclusion…can restrict women’s ability to gain employment and use digital health and education services…Extra income derived from digital access for women is often invested back into families and communities…[B]usiness in general has been slow to help break down the digital divide…The WEF claims gender parity is one of its key global issues…But a group that is so male…needs to be more representative if it is to fulfil its remit as the “World” Economic Forum…[Also refers to Google and Intel.]

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