A newly released Women in Digital (WiD) Index offers a comprehensive snapshot of gender equality in the ICT and digital sector across EU Member States and selected international peers. Designed as a composite indicator, the index measures women’s participation and progression throughout the digital ecosystem—from early STEM education to senior leadership roles.
Unlike traditional metrics that assess isolated stages of women’s involvement in technology, the WiD Index adopts a pipeline approach, tracking how women enter, advance, and lead within digital fields. The framework acknowledges that boosting female representation in digital leadership requires tackling systemic barriers at every stage, including access to STEM education, participation in digital jobs, career advancement opportunities, and representation in executive positions.
The index reveals that while progress has been made in expanding girls’ engagement in STEM and increasing women’s employment in ICT roles, leadership gaps remain significant, underscoring ongoing challenges such as unequal career progression, workplace biases, and limited access to leadership pathways.
Policymakers and industry leaders are expected to use the findings to inform evidence-based strategies aimed at strengthening gender balance in digital sectors—an increasingly vital objective as Europe accelerates its digital transition.
