CDG compiles first extensive study on Jordanian women in ICT space

13 May 2003
CDG researches the female employee in the ICT sector and factors inhibiting her ability to succeed in this arena

CDG produced an extensive report, entitled “Jordanian Women in the ICT Space”, for the benefit of the “Achieving E-quality in the IT sector” project in Jordan – a collaborative effort of three organizations, Cisco Systems Inc., Cisco Foundation and UNIFEM. The report is the first comprehensive study of its kind relating to Jordanian women in ICT education and the ICT work field in the year 2002.

The report provides a birds-eye view of the socio-economic status of Jordanian women in the ICT sector. It presents gender statistics and trends related to demographics, legal, education, and participation in the labor force. It reviews Jordan’s ICT sector in terms of telecom, software and hardware providers and infrastructure, and educational institutions, and discusses roles of Jordan’s ICT stakeholders, ICT policies and undergoing educational and economical initiatives in the country.

Table 1 - Number of Jordanian university
students enrolled in Bsc. ICT related fields

Computer Science/ Information Technology		Computer Engineering & Electronics & Communications
	1999	2000	2001	Total of 3 years		1999	2000	2001	Total of 3 years
Total	2,972	5,608	5,645	14,225	Total	519	1,003	1,252	2,774
% Growth		89%	1%		% Growth		93%	25%

Female	910	1,688	1,499	4,096	Female	86	200	267	553
% Growth		86%	-11%		% Growth		133%	34%
% of total	31%	30%	27%	29%	% of total	17%	20%	21%	20%

Males	2,062	3,920	4,146	10,128	Male	433	803	985	2,221
% Growth		90%	6%		% Growth		85%	23%
% of total	69%	70%	73%	71%	% of total	83%	80%	79%	80%

Source: Universities field research “Jordanian Women in the ICT Space”

Table 1 shows that between 1999 and 2001, 88% of female students studied ICT software related fields and 12% studied ICT engineering fields. BSc. Degree female students constitute around 30% of computer science programs, and around 20% of ICT engineering programs. It was found that more females join the Intermediate Diploma computer program and have constituted more than 60% of all enrolled students across the years.

The study also found that 38% of female ICT workers work for government vs. 16% of males, 43% of female ICT workers work for private sector vs. 49% of males and banks and larger organizations each attract around 7% of females.

The report also presents current gender sensitive statistics of students and graduates of ICT. It provides a quantitative analysis of women’s position in the sector with information on ICT labor force in public and private sectors and particular focus on Jordanian women’s status in ICT; where they are employed; and how they are employed.

In terms of where female ICT workers are employed, it was found that:
· 44% of the females occupy software development and web related jobs
· 27% occupy jobs on the lower side of the ICT scale
· Only 11% are involved in ICT hardware, engineering and networks
· A low of 7% of females occupy managerial positions in the ICT space

A qualitative and quantitative assessment of Jordanian women in ICT was also conducted investigating the inhibiting obstacles surrounding women’s ability to succeed in the ICT space. A number of opinions were collected from the employer and the female employees’ perspectives.

An IT employer commented: “She [female employee] takes up a ‘job’ and not a ‘career’”. While another employee stated that “females are more emotionally intelligent and spiritually stronger, but what takes place is continuous brain washing of the female which keeps her within the confinement of the social norms and restricts her ambitions and aspirations”. Not surprisingly, a number of female stereotypes were noted, including the idea that women are better suited to jobs that don’t require use of physical labor, such as “pre-sale and post-sale processes vs. the installation of hardware phase…this phase requires muscles”. Another stakeholder slotted women in the same category, saying, “females like mind-games, they do not like to work with their hands”.

Finally the report assesses the most prominent gender issues of the Jordan ICT sector, provides gap analysis, and recommends interventions to be undertaken by any initiative striving to encourage ICT and women’s involvement in it.

Data was empirically collected through various research means ranging from desk and Internet research to field research. The study targeted 22 Jordanian universities, 125 female high school and intermediate college CNAP students and 235 Jordanian women of age 20-60 years interviewed in a random walk field research. One-on-one qualitative and quantitative interviews with 15 employers and stakeholders in the ICT industry were conducted including educational experts and CNAP instructors. Research also involved covering ICT training centers and 152 organizations were probed for information about ICT labor and their female ICT workers.
Company Background:

Community Development Group (CDG) was founded in 1979, and is known as a leading multi-disciplinary consulting firm in Jordan, with development as its foremost mission underlying all of its offered services. CDG operates through three main divisions: GIS and Information Technology, Economic Research and Studies, Architecture, and Cultural Resource Management. Across all of its divisions and practice areas, CDG capitalizes on its multi-disciplinary experience, digital knowledge, and systematic business approach and methodologies to gather and synthesize information useful for its clients and the development of the community.

CDG repeat clients include government, donor agencies, non-governmental organizations, private businesses, and international consulting firms. The firm’s long-standing relationships with USAID, World Bank, United Nations, European Union, and American and European consultants attest to its ability to produce quality work, comply with rigorous international standards, and meet its clients’ needs.

CDG offers the following core services:
Strategic IT Consulting and Research
Geographic Information System (GIS) Consulting Service
Knowledge and Information Management Consulting