Luxembourg is fortunate to have a Ministry of Equal Opportunities and a young minister, Taina Bofferding. Taina granted us a long interview in which she discusses the efforts to be made in the field of education, the predominance of social networks, the career opportunities offered by digital technology and how digital can be a factor of equality.
by: Charles-Louis Machuron
photo: Kaori Anne Jolliffe
featured: Taina Bofferding, Minister of Equality between Women & Men at Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Listen to article (Part 1)
Equality and digitalization
You have chosen “equality and digitalization” as the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day: why? Can you give us more information on the IWD process? What is the desired and expected impact?
The Luxembourg government has placed the emphasis on digitalization and in 2018, has dedicated a ministry to this area, which has a strong potential for economic development. This area also involves issues of equality between men and women.
On one hand, it is necessary to ensure equal access to new technologies so that women and men can fully benefit from them. On the other hand, there are too few women in digital professions. The consequences of this are both economic and societal. From an economic point of view, companies need to recruit qualified talent in sufficient numbers to carry out the transformations essential to their competitiveness. From a societal point of view, it is unacceptable to me that the digital field only brings together men.
What are your priorities (and those of the government/department) in this area and in the area of digital inclusion?
The promotion of girls and women in the digital world makes it possible to thematize the multidimensional aspects of equality. It is linked to employment, education and higher education policies and the subject is also in line with the objectives formulated in the framework of the ministerial strategy to combat stereotypes. The aim is to deconstruct the clichés, prejudices and stereotypes that hinder academic and professional choices.
How do you support companies and associations in the framework of “positive actions”? Why do they have an interest in taking more action in the field of w/m equality? What are the demands and needs of companies in this area?
With its voluntary Positive Actions programme, the Ministry supports companies in supporting equality in pay and training, decision-making and work-life balance. In fact, we observe that the gender balance at the professional level is fragile. Much of women’s potential remains untapped, due to stereotypes and inequalities that are still too deeply rooted.
The programme thus makes it possible, through an external evaluation, to identify areas for improvement at each level. Management, human resources and the employee delegation then work together to draw up and implement an action plan for greater equality.
“Deconstructing stereotypes is the key to ensuring equality in our daily lives.”
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Education
How can parents and schools promote equality?
I see that equality is of great interest to young people. They are concerned about discrimination and stereotypes, especially when it comes to making decisions for their future. I get the impression that they would like to see these issues more integrated within their daily lives. We want every girl and boy to be able to express her or his potential and choose the profession that corresponds to her or his aspirations and talents, regardless of the clichés and stereotypes associated with a particular gender or profession.
Even today, when a boy decides to become a hairdresser, he may still be subjected to nasty and unjustified stigmatisation. Conversely, a girl who wants to become an engineer is often confronted with questions about her physical fitness. Such attitudes are inappropriate for an enlightened society. Deconstructing stereotypes is the key to ensuring equality in our daily lives.
What is your advice to teachers?
Encourage the equal development of girls and boys from early childhood. There are many methods that help promote co-education and equality, especially in the area of teaching.
You were a teenager when the Internet came into your home. Do you remember your first connection to the Internet?
I remember the infernal noise of the modem and the per-minute connections that cost me my allowance when I forgot to log off afterwards.
Can you name a woman scientist? Which women inspire you in the field of new technologies?
Rosalind Franklin, a British biophysicist, known for her ground-breaking work in the discovery of DNA. However, she did not win the Nobel Prize, as she died four years before scientists Watson and Crick were honoured by the Nobel Committee. Obtaining deserved distinctions had long been difficult for women. Like many women scientists, Franklin suffered from a lack of recognition throughout her career.
How can we combat the stereotypes that discourage girls from taking up scientific professions?
Scientific professions and new technologies illustrate the influence of gender stereotypes in view of the massive gap between women and men in this field. One of the objectives of IWD 2020 is to stimulate debate and encourage young people to aim for a professional future in this field. It is important to act from an early age. Equality is a crosscutting challenge that encompasses education policy, vocational training and higher education, but also employment and family policy in order to reconcile private and professional life as a parent. It requires holistic and multidisciplinary action. The Ministry of Equality has thus developed a strategy that will be integrated in the next National Action Plan (Plan d’action national, PAN Egalité).
“My political commitment was born out of my desire to contribute to the development of our society.”
Listen to article (Part 3)
Social Networks
MEGA is very active on social networks. Do you think that social networks are an important channel to raise awareness among young people about equality issues?
Yes, the Ministry is very active on social networks, and I am very active on my own accounts. Social networks are an important vehicle for informing, explaining, and establishing exchanges with young people and the population in general. They allow us to have a direct and strong relationship with citizens. When it comes to equality, we want everyone to take ownership of the issue and make it a reality in his or her daily lives. It is together that we ensure a fair and egalitarian society.
What is your relationship to social networks? Do you use them for personal and/or professional purposes?
Both! I have both business and private accounts. I enjoy sharing what I am experiencing.
What are the digital tools that you regularly use? How do you think the internet has revolutionized communication?
The smartphone, the tablet, and the apps on the phone… It is hard to imagine going back 25 years and not having access to all these tools. I remember when we used to go to phone booths to tell our parents when we were late… Technological advances have profoundly changed the way we communicate. The smartphone has become an extension of ourselves.
Are you a “geek”?
I’ve never counted the hours spent on my smartphone, but I think it is a great way to stay connected to the world and manage daily life. Frankly, I get stressed when my smartphone runs out of battery.
“Women make up half of the population. Their voices must resonate at the heart of democratic institutions.”
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Career
As in computer science, women are poorly represented in politics. Do you have any experiences, positive or negative, to share as a woman who has chosen a sector where women are the minority?
My political commitment was born out of my desire to contribute to the development of our society. In politics, you have to know how to convince and find allies whether you are a woman or a man. However, I deplore the fact that there are not more women in political decision-making. Women make up half of the population. Their voices must resonate at the heart of democratic institutions. If our political actions emanate solely from the point of view of representatives of one sex, we risk underestimating the needs of part of the population. We need gender balance for making balanced policies. It is not only a question of equality but also of common sense for both sexes to take decisions together at the political and economic levels. My political party, the LSAP, has supported the rise of women in the composition of the government. I also note that the Socialist parliamentary group currently has as many women as men in the Chamber of Deputies. These are strong messages.
How can digital technology provide new career opportunities for women?
Alongside the space sector, digital technology is certainly the field that has most revolutionized our society over the last two decades. This is true in terms of employment opportunities, but also in terms of professional and academic training for women and men. For me, it is essential to fight against stereotypes in order to overcome the tenacious conviction that scientific professions are reserved for men.
What is your message to a young girl who wants to go into IT and digital-related jobs?
You Go Girl 😉
This article was first published in the Silicon Luxembourg magazine. Get a copy now!
