Jornada 12x12 Dones i TIC, presidida per Neus Munté
Jornada 12x12 Dones i TIC, presidida per Neus Munté. 2016. Font: Generalitat de Catalunya. License: All rights reserved.

The event was a clear aim to "raise the economic and social need to incorporate more women-and especially young people- in this sector."

The Minister referencing an EU study, conducted from a European Commission survey on women active in the field of information and communications technology, according to which "the increase in the number of women digital interested in a career and the increased presence of women in professions related to new digital information technology sector would benefit in women themselves and the European economy. " As explained Munté, "the sector would benefit because organizations with more women in management positions achieve better performance; women leave their own benefit, because wages in this sector are profitable, have greater flexibility to organize their schedules and therefore easier to reconcile and are less exposed to unemployment. " And according to the same study, if women had a presence similar to that of men in the sector, the European GDP would register an annual increase of about 9000 million.

Given these data the Minister concluded that we must promote the role of women in the field of information and communication, and this is according to the Minister, "the Government's commitment and the commitment of all, we can reverse this situation. " The Minister announced that the government is working on ways to introduce these disciplines at school. Also from telecentres have the opportunity to work in this vocational education and to inspire women and make them sharers in this reality and future need places for expert jobs in the sector.

The conference was also attended by the secretary of Telecommunications, Cybersecurity and Digital Society, Jordi Puigneró and the president of the Catalan Institute for Women, Teresa M. Pitarch.

12x12 DonaTIC awards

The conference served to present the second edition of the awards DonaTIC 12x12, which will be presented on December 15 and are driven by the Ministry of Telecommunications, Cybersecurity and Digital Society and Tertulia Digital , in collaboration with the Observatory Women, Business, Economics Chamber of Commerce. These awards are delivered with the aim to recognize the work of women in ICT and especially give visibility to entrepreneurs working in this sector to promote technology careers among students. The awards are divided into six categories: Entrepreneurial; professional; academic-research; publishing; woman studying ICT and ICT revelation.

Munté stressed that we must "overcome cultural traditions and stereotypes that pose a barrier to women involved in this sector." To do this, the Government has created the program Women and ICT, which as explained Secretary of Telecommunications, Cybersecurity and Digital Society, Jordi Puigneró "want to address issues of bullying and sexism, to support women entrepreneurs and promote technological vocations. "