The government of Nepal has declared the upcoming years as the "IT Decade," aiming to create 1.5 million jobs and generate 3 trillion rupees in exports. To achieve these ambitious targets, it is crucial to raise awareness about the IT sector at the local level and actively involve local governments. This grassroots engagement will ensure that communities understand the benefits and opportunities within the IT industry. Additionally, increasing women's participation in the IT sector is essential. By empowering and supporting women to enter and thrive in IT roles, Nepal can harness a wider range of talents and perspectives, which is critical for positioning the country as a leading IT hub.
Nepal is evolving from its deep-rooted cultural norms towards becoming a more tech-accepting society. As a mother and wife, I can personally share the challenges faced during this transition. My father raised me to be independent and financially self-sufficient. However, in our society, a girl is traditionally expected to get married and establish herself in her husband's household, where she is a newcomer. Each day, she must strive to win everyone's heart in her new home, working hard to find her own identity and voice. Simultaneously, she is often at the peak of her career, needing to excel professionally to advance up the career ladder. While this process might seem straightforward, as generations of women have navigated similar paths, it is important to recognize the toll it takes. Many women have had to sacrifice their dreams and careers in an effort to balance these demanding roles.
Every father wants his daughter to be successful and achieve her dreams. However, once she marries and moves into a new household, she often finds herself without a true supporter of her aspirations. By nature, and upbringing, women often take on the roles of nurturing and managing household tasks. This societal expectation leads many women to eventually surrender their dreams, just as our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers did before us. This isn't to discourage women from pursuing motherhood, which I believe, is one of the most challenging roles in the world. Rather, my aim is to highlight how cultural aspects might be contributing to the loss of women leaders in their early or mid-career stages.
By empowering and supporting women to enter and thrive in IT roles, Nepal can harness a wider range of talents and perspectives, which is critical for positioning the country as a leading IT hub.
This cultural pressure also has significant financial implications. Women often struggle with entrepreneurship and career advancement because they are typically not the primary household earners. Additionally, banks and financial institutions require collateral for loans, forcing women to rely on either their natal families, which they have moved away from, or their new families, where they may not yet have strong financial support. This systemic issue further hinders their ability to establish and grow their careers independently.
Both scenarios present formidable challenges from a funding standpoint, particularly for women entrepreneurs. Creative financing options such as crowdfunding, invoice financing, collateral-free loans, and startup funds are essential to broaden access to capital. The government's initiative to select 183 startups for collateral-free loans from over 1,600 applications is a positive step, but additional tax incentives are needed to further support and stimulate these ventures. These startups not only create employment opportunities but also drive high-tech innovation and contribute significantly to tax revenues. The government can play a crucial role as a facilitator and catalyst for economic growth by providing subsidies and creating a conducive environment for startups, ensuring substantial returns on investment in the future.
Corporate jobs were traditionally structured under the assumption that wives or mothers would manage household and childcare responsibilities, which has created significant challenges as more families now rely on dual incomes. This shift has disproportionately affected women's career trajectories. In modern relationships, it's crucial for both partners to prioritize and support each other's career journeys equally. Amid these challenges, the tech industry has emerged as one of the few sectors offering potential for work-life balance, as seen in my own experience. I pursued a tech education at a time when female representation in the industry was minimal, eventually migrating alone to the United States for a Master's degree at the age of 22. Increasing the presence of women in the tech sector would benefit everyone involved. Research consistently shows that teams with diverse backgrounds and perspectives are more productive and innovative. Therefore, fostering greater gender diversity in tech not only promotes women's career advancement but also enhances overall industry performance and societal well-being.
The government can play a crucial role as a facilitator and catalyst for economic growth by providing subsidies and creating a conducive environment for startups, ensuring substantial returns on investment in the future.
Women leaders bring unique and untapped dimensions of leadership to the forefront. From my personal experience, the tech industry has evolved as one of the rare sectors where women can feasibly achieve work-life balance. As a mother raising two children under the age of 10 while passionately pursuing my career, I embody this possibility firsthand. To support women in achieving such balance and success, it's imperative that all sectors—government, civil society, private sector, and financial institutions—collaborate to create a sustainable ecosystem. This ecosystem should facilitate and celebrate the successes of women who are actively pursuing their dreams. There is an urgent need to act swiftly and efficiently to ensure that women can fully participate in and contribute to the disruptive and rapidly evolving tech industry. By doing so, we can harness the full potential of women's leadership and innovation in this transformative era.
Swift implementation by all stakeholders, including government at all levels, is crucial for advancing this journey. Local governments, being closest to communities, bear the responsibility of raising awareness about opportunities and challenges in the tech sector to foster future growth. Initiating awareness campaigns at the local level is key to attracting more girls into tech. Local governments can ensure that tech education in schools and colleges meets high standards, thereby preparing young women for careers in technology. Moreover, they play a pivotal role in igniting local innovation by encouraging girls to participate in solving community challenges through technology. This grassroots approach not only empowers girls but also drives inclusive growth and innovation within communities.
At the provincial level, governments must actively showcase their region as the most attractive choice for businesses by offering incentives such as favorable tax policies, subsidies, and financial assistance. Each province should allocate budget resources to establish incubation hubs that specifically encourage and support women's contributions. It's essential for provincial governments to highlight and nurture local innovation, actively promoting grassroots initiatives. They should also take a direct role in skill development initiatives tailored to the needs of their population. By creating a supportive environment, provincial authorities can incentivize private enterprises to establish operations, thereby stimulating job creation, enhancing skills, and driving innovation at the local level. This comprehensive approach not only accelerates economic growth but also empowers communities and fortifies provincial economies through inclusive and sustainable development efforts.
To support women in achieving such balance and success, it's imperative that all sectors—government, civil society, private sector, and financial institutions—collaborate to create a sustainable ecosystem.
The central government has much higher responsibility in terms of creating Nepal as a brand on the global digital map. It should be able to attract investors and companies from around the globe by showcasing women's leadership and talent. By connecting with provincial governments, we empower smaller entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses to leverage the latest technology and scale locally or internationally. It is also very important for women to own or lead organizations to have special recognition and support in order to create more role models towards contributing to the economy.
I lead Kimbu Tech, specializing in Tech Offshoring, and Simjung, focusing on Business Process Outsourcing, providing IT solutions and services predominantly to international clients. My decision to spearhead this company was motivated by a vision to enhance opportunities for Nepali women in the IT sector. It's crucial to recognize that the challenges of skill shortages, expertise gaps, and underrepresentation of women in tech are deeply rooted structural issues that require comprehensive solutions. Leading by example, I've also taken on VS International College, a TU Affiliated College, to directly engage with students in developing curricula that better prepare graduates for the job market and provide them with enhanced job opportunities.
Driven by my commitment to empower more women in tech and leadership roles, I implemented a "Hire Women First" policy within my companies to actively create opportunities for women in a predominantly male-dominated industry. When I first embarked on my tech career in Nepal after returning from the US, I often felt isolated as one of the few women in the sector. To address this, I founded the "Women in Tech" Facebook group, which has grown to over 23,000 members worldwide. This platform facilitates collaboration and support among women in tech, empowering them to navigate and thrive in their careers. I firmly believe that leveraging the talents of women in technology can significantly enhance GDP and pave the way for a brighter future for our daughters and sisters. Taking action swiftly and decisively is essential to realizing this vision.
(Karvika Thapa is the Chief Executive Officer at Kimbu Tech, Chairperson (Simjung), and Executive Director at VS International College)
