Channel Post MEA is in conversation with Joumana Karam, Marketing Head & New Business Development Regional Manager at Acer MEA, highlights the female role models who inspired her during her journey and expresses her views on how industry and society can best achieve women’s empowerment and gender equality.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, what do you think are the most pressing issues facing women around the world today?
Women face many issues around the world; however, in my opinion, the most pressing ones are education and equal legal rights. Education is essential and should be an equal right for every child regardless of gender. Educating girls and women further enhances our economies and improves our society. Many women around the world today struggle within many areas of society, such as healthcare, workplace and financial security, as they do not have equal rights and privileges.
How can individuals and organizations contribute to advancing gender equality and empowering women in their communities and workplaces?
We all need to acknowledge the importance of gender equality and the tremendous growth opportunities that come when women are empowered in the community and workplace. Many recent studies have shown that women leaders have more empathy, passion, creativity, and problem-solving skills versus the reactive leadership that is associated with male-dominated leadership styles (as per the latest Forbes survey in 2023).
Individuals and organizations have the power to change policies and practices. They can advocate, encourage, and endorse their female colleagues to help them flourish in the community and the workplace.
What are some effective strategies for breaking down barriers that prevent women from achieving their full potential in various aspects of life?
Sometimes, women can be their own worst enemies. However, certain points that women can focus on can be a good strategy to start with, such as working on any low self-esteem issues, encouraging each other to speak up and participate, and being kind to one another. It’s important for women to support each other.
Could you share any inspiring female personalities in the technology field you admire?
I admire the female personalities who managed to make a name in the early days of technology. To name a few:
- Ada Lovelace wrote the first algorithm intended to be processed by a machine and is now considered the foundation of modern computing (1842/43)
- Margaret E. Knight, who managed around 20 patents as an engineer inventor from 1871
- Grace Hopper was instrumental in the development of COBOL, the first high-level programming language (1959)
- Katherine Johnson had to face multiple discriminations at NASA but had a pivotal role in the first manned voyage to the moon. (1961)
In your opinion, what role can male allies play in supporting gender diversity and inclusion efforts in the tech industry?
Male allies play a pivotal role. Their endorsement and encouragement of female colleagues and team members is essential! Male support is important to achieve a successful diversified and inclusion-driven work environment within all industries, especially in the tech industry, which is still considered very male-dominated.
How do you think advancements in technology can be leveraged to create more opportunities for women in traditionally male-dominated fields?
Advancements in technology have made a positive impact on our journey towards gender equality and equity. Opportunities such as employment and entrepreneurship have become more accessible and flexible through technology.
It has created new avenues for education and personal development, allowing women to pursue their interests and ambitions while also maintaining their ability to be mothers or wives. Flexible working arrangements made possible by technology have helped to promote work-family balance and enabled women to balance their responsibilities at home and in the workplace.
How can we ensure that women from diverse backgrounds, including those from marginalized communities, have equal access to education, employment, and leadership opportunities?
The starting point is within the family environment. It is critical that parents understand the importance of encouraging the education of their daughters the same way they do for their sons. Then comes the capability of schools and teachers to support the girls inside the classroom. Next would be the government’s job to create and implement policies that help to provide education and employment opportunities for women. Finally, HR policies within the private work sector ensure diversity and equality.
What initiatives or policies do you believe are most effective in promoting work-life balance and supporting women’s professional advancement?
Changing the mindset of CEOs and Board Members to understand better the benefit of having women in management positions can be highly effective in achieving this. Some initiatives to implement are applying policies for flexible working hours, equal advancement opportunities, customized training for diversity and inclusion, and unified rules for all employees. Another important thing is a dedicated training program to help women fight low self-esteem, which can hinder their ability to speak up and trust their voice.
What advice would you give young women interested in pursuing careers in technology but may feel discouraged by the lack of representation or gender bias in the industry?
The challenges that women face in an IT career are no different than those in any other industry. My advice to all young women is not to be afraid, to choose a field that you like, and to aspire to learn more. Be patient with yourself, dream big, and put all your efforts into achieving your dreams. Always remember that you can do anything you set your mind on if you put in the right effort.
Looking ahead, what do you hope to see in terms of progress and opportunities for women in technology in the coming years, and what steps can be taken to achieve these goals?
We have started a new era: the digital era. An era whose enabler and facilitator is based on technology! More women will become more visible and influential in various fields in the coming years as technology will provide them with more opportunities, new education subjects and research fields. We need to keep on talking about diversity and championing women in our field – encouraging each other and pushing for more policies and practices that favour inclusion and diversity, particularly in tech. I would love to see our share of women in the workforce & in leadership positions to be closer to 50%!
