Around this time each year , as I prepare for Mobile World Congress , I anticipate the flood of new and exciting innovations that will be announced , the inspiring people I 'll be meeting and the general buzz around mobile on a global scale . I also hope that I will see more women in attendance at the show . It 's no secret that the technology sector currently has a dearth of women in the workforce . There has already been considerable discussion and research about the fact that girls are not choosing to study STEM ( science , technology , engineering and mathematics ) subjects , how a divide exists between men and women with access to the Internet , how much GDP could increase if the number of digital jobs held by women was on a par with men ... the list goes on . Clearly we need more women working in the mobile and ICT industry , and more women getting connected by mobile . In other words , we are calling for more mobile women -- empowered by mobile and upwardly mobile as a result . Making women aware of the many opportunities enabled by mobile -- and holding challenging and well-remunerated positions -- is a passion of mine . I always knew I wanted to work in an exciting and innovative industry . I recognized that computer science and telecoms were burgeoning sectors , and I pursued them knowing that this unchartered territory would be rife with opportunities . Even at the start of my career , I had a desire to make a difference in an environment that was constantly evolving and pioneering . Two decades later , the industry is still just as exciting . However , while new generations of women are increasingly embracing technology in their everyday lives , they may not realize just how dynamic it is to work in mobile and ICT . I will dispel the myth now : hardly anyone I know who works in technology is a `` geek '' who sits glued to their computer screen for 20 hours a day . Of course there are enormous opportunities for people with deep technological skills , but there are just as many for people who want to support the full potential of mobile , whether it 's creating connected cars , advancing mobile commerce , or even designing the master plan for a smart city . There are opportunities to do almost anything . In fact , women in the ICT industry earn almost 9 % more than those in other parts of the economy . Yet they constitute only 30 % of the ICT workforce in Europe , and also often leave the industry early , missing out on the chance to get to the top . We need to make women in mobile and ICT the norm rather than the exception -- and also encourage those that are on the path not to abandon it . So how do we attract and retain more mobile women ? Motivating women to work in the mobile industry needs to start from the ground up , ensuring they are given the opportunities and guidance to pursue STEM subjects in the first place , provided with practical experience like internships in the field , and also inspired by the potential of mobile to change people 's lives . Many women in developing nations become mobile through ownership of their first mobile phone . The positive impact that mobile has on everyday life is perhaps felt most strongly in these markets , where mobile services provide critical connectivity , life-enhancing access to education and healthcare , and empowerment through entrepreneurship . The transformative power of mobile for women was clearly demonstrated when Iraqi operator Asiacell launched a line of products and services to target the needs of women , who at the time comprised only 20 % of their subscribers . The result ? Less than three years later , Asiacell has increased its female customer base to 40 % , enriching the lives of nearly two million Iraqi women who are now connected and empowered with more social and financial independence . We know that regardless of their locality or social strata , the positive effect of more mobile women around the world can transcend the industry and have much wider socioeconomic benefits . So as we collectively strive to connect the next one billion users and stimulate the positive change that the mobile Internet brings , we must ensure that women will be included in this upsurge . To do this , we need to address the entire mobile ecosystem . It starts with mobilizing the stakeholders involved -- policymakers and educators , mobile operators , manufacturers , and suppliers -- and extends to women themselves recognizing the myriad opportunities for their talents in the mobile and ICT industry . As I look back on many industry events where I addressed and interacted with a large number of male colleagues , I look forward to many more where I 'll be just one of many involved , dynamic , mobile women . Read more : 10 most powerful women in tech Read more : Google 's quest to get more women in tech .
The technology sector has a dearth of women in the workforce , Anne Bouverot writes . Women in the ICT industry earn almost 9 % more than those in other parts of the economy . ` Comment: