In this special post, we will talk about how women in technology have contributed in the last decades, but before that, we will see why today is commemorated as this special day.

Let’s learn a bit of history.

Although we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th today, it’s important to remember and appreciate the various events that led to its inception. In March 1857, a group of women textile workers in New York rebelled against the gender discrimination they faced in the workplace.

Despite performing the same tasks as their male counterparts, women received less than half the salary that men did.

With courage and determination, the workers took to the streets to demand fair and equal treatment. Although the protest was violently suppressed by the police, this act of bravery and struggle set an important precedent that continues to inspire the fight for women’s rights to this day.

What happened after this event?

If we follow the chronology of events, we find that in 1907, the first International Conference of Socialist Women took place in Stuttgart, Germany, led by Clara Zetkin. Its main objective was to advocate for women’s suffrage rights

On March 8, 1908,129 women died in a fire at the Cotton factory in New York, USA, on the aftermath of their strike demanding shorter working hours and equal pay to men. Chaos ensued when the factory owner ordered its closure to force the women to abandon their strike, resulting in this tragic fire.

On February 28th, 1909, the first “National Woman’s Day” was celebrated in New York. Later, in 1910, the Second International Socialist Women’s Conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, where it was proposed to fix a symbolic day around March 8th, and finally, in 1975, the UN officially recognized this day.

“Women and Their Impact on Technology

Women have had a significant impact on the technological aspect, so much so that in the 1960s 60, women were already programming, and when talking about this topic, a young woman in a very short skirt was envisioned. At that time, magazines called them “computer girls”, and by the mid-80s 80, women dominated software, representing nearly 40% of technology professionals.

In the 1960s, the stereotype of a programmer was a young woman in a miniskirt, often referred to as “computer girls.

It is important to highlight the work of some women who have contributed significantly to the development of Information Technology (IT). Among them is Hedy Lamarr, who, in addition to being a successful actress, patented a technique for wireless communication that has served as the foundation for modern Wi-Fi

Another significant figure is Frances Allen, the first woman to win the Turing Award, whose work in compiler optimization and high-performance computing laid the foundations for modern computer system design

Another notable woman was Rose Dieng, an expert in Artificial Intelligence, knowledge management, and semantic web, whose research has driven the advancement of science and technology.

December 9th is celebrated as World Computer Science Daywhich was chosen in honor of Grace Hopper, who is credited with developing the first compiler and introducing the universal programming language COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language). COBOL is a procedural programming language whose commands were designed to resemble conventional English and is still used today in financial and insurance institutions.

How have we progressed in recent years?

In 2019 2019, , one of the goals was to increase female participation in the tech industry, according to a study by ACTI , conducted that year. According to another study by the National Observatory of Telecommunications and the Information Society In 2020 in 2020 there were over 144,000 women specializing in communication technology in Spain. Although this number is relatively small, representing 19% (a figure that remains the same in 2023) 2023, the low participation of women is due to the fact that there are fewer women graduates in mathematics, engineering, science, and technology.

In summary, the contributions of women in the field of information technology are becoming increasingly important and valuable. Despite the obstacles and gender discrimination, they have faced in the past, women are making history in the world of IT and proving every day that they are capable of leading and transforming the sector.

On this International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the achievements that women have made in information technology and work to continue breaking down barriers and creating a more equitable future for all.

 

At Moveapps, we are committed to inclusion, and many of our teams include talented women who contribute their knowledge and experience every day while helping to create and maintain a more pleasant and welcoming work environment.

References:

https://www.ontsi.es/es/publicaciones/brecha-digital-de-genero-2023

https://acti.cl/aumentar-participacion-femenina-es-desafio-en-la-industria-tech/

https://pionerasinformaticas.ujaen.es/es/

https://www.becas-santander.com/es/blog/mujeres-informatica.html