The theme for 2022 International Women’s Day #BreakTheBias, calls on us to imagine a gender equal world, free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. It is about uplifting and supporting women and girls to achieve their potential and recognising that everyone has a role to play in shaping a gender-balanced world.
At the Department of Customer Service currently, 41% of all roles in digital are filled by women. Of the 77 Senior Executives roles 40% are held by women and 60% men.
These strong numbers of women in Senior Executive positions at the Department of Customer Service, reflect the philosophy that Greg Wells, NSW Government Chief Information and Digital Officer holds and his passion for advocating for women in tech and gender pay equity.
Since the beginning of the Digital Restart Fund nearly two years ago, 40% of applicants for investment for innovative government digital projects have been women.
Digital products and services need to be designed with and for women and girls to meet their realities. Typically, digital solutions, products and content tend to be designed for a ‘default’ user. This can inadvertently exclude users who do not fit that default.
The NSW Design System Director Sharni Allen asserts that when we make a commitment to “put the customer at the centre,” we must ensure that research and testing is done with all users of a service. We do this with an inclusive mindset, making sure not to exclude people with disability, learning difficulties or language barriers, and those without access to fast or reliable internet, and ensuring gender equality across these cohorts.
The NSW Design System team recently worked in close collaboration with Women NSW from the Stronger Communities department to transition the Women NSW website to nsw.gov.au. The new and improved Women NSW site makes it easier to access free tools and resources to improve the lives of women and girls in NSW and help achieve gender equality. The site is integrated with the NSW Government Grants Finder, enabling Women NSW grants to be updated in the one place with ease.
Women NSW aims to improve the lives of all women in NSW by achieving justice and equality through policy, innovation, and collaboration.
Women in Digital programs aim to help women develop leadership skills, increase the number of women in leadership roles, and reduce barriers to career progression. Diversity in the workforce is key to delivering quality services to NSW customers.