Gender inequality evident also in the ICT industry in BiH – only small number of female employees

Women and ICT According to the UNDP research, BiH has very poor gender balance when it comes to employment of women in ICT. According to the research data from employment biros and e-Readiness assessment women hold just one third of jobs related to use of ICT. Having in mind that according to the EUSTAT (EU agency for statistics) demand for ICT is 12% higher then current EU supply, BiH has historic chance to combat unemployment through development of ICT industry. According to the data from employment bureaus in Federation and the RS for 2003 there is 30% female employees in computer and similar industries including telecommunications and postal services in Federation of BiH. The Republika Srpska doesn’t have precise statistics, but for comparison, official figures show that in the sector of communications and transport (including computer and telecommunications services) out of all employees there is only 21% of women. According to data from countries with developing economies and high usage of ICT, women have equal chances for employment. For example in Singapore, some 55% of all ICT employees are women. Various UNDP projects, especially those focusing at ICT for Development confirm that telecommunication and computer sectors offer a great opportunity for women to confront poor gender balance regarding employment. Moreover, BiH has great opportunity to combat unemployment by concentrating more on ICT industry. Just for comparison, some 4-5% of all employees in the USA and (for example) 3-4% in the Czech Republic are directly employed in ICT industry.

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