At the SIC24 International Conference in Karachi, a powerful panel on “Women Empowerment/Women in Tech” brought together leading women in the tech industry. They discussed their journeys, challenges, and how to inspire more women to enter and excel in the field.
Key Speakers:
Dr. Arifa Bhutto – Professor & Focal Person at Technology Incubation Center, University of Sindh (Moderator)
Waheeda Mahesar – Executive Director, SZABIST ZABTech
Jehan Ara – Founder & CEO, Katalyst Labs
Tabassum Abbasi – Director IT & CTO, Sindh Police
Numaira Manzoor – CEO & Founder, Sky Tech Dot
Dr. Lalarukh Ejaz – Assistant Professor & Director, Center for Entrepreneurial Development (CED)
Main Takeaways:
1. Challenges for Women in Tech:
- The tech industry is still male-dominated, but women are breaking through.
- Overcoming stereotypes and gaining equal opportunities remain key challenges.
2. Importance of Education & Mentorship:
- Mentorship helps young women navigate the industry and grow.
- Access to education is vital for empowering women to pursue tech careers.
3. Building Inclusive Workplaces:
- Inclusive environments are critical for women’s success in tech.
- Companies need to focus on diversity and leadership opportunities for women.
4. Collaboration is Key:
- Working together as a community is essential to uplift women in tech.
- The panel showed that sharing stories and solutions is a powerful way to inspire change.
Why This Matters:
- The panel at SIC24 highlighted the *growing role of women in tech, but also the *work still needed to create equal opportunities.
- Encouraging women to lead and supporting them through mentorship and inclusive environments are key to future progress.
Inspiring the Next Generation:
This discussion inspired not only the audience but also the *next wave of female tech leaders, showing that *women can thrive and lead in the tech industry when given the right opportunities and support.
SIC24 continues to be a platform for promoting innovation, leadership, and gender equality in tech.
