I Choose to Challenge....

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is #ChooseToChallenge!

Women in Blockchain Talks chooses to challenge the gender divide in the tech space, specifically #blockchain, and we do this all year round.

Women of the world want and deserve an equal future free from stigma, stereotypes, and violence; a future that’s sustainable, peaceful, with equal rights and opportunities for all. To get us there, the world needs women at every table where decisions are being made, especially in blockchain tech which is impacting all industries across the board.

Women in Blockchain Talks is an award-winning educational and networking platform and the UK’s No.1 female-led blockchain platform in this area. Women in Blockchain stand for four key things: Diversity and Inclusion, Advocation of Blockchain technology, Education, and Networking for career development. Although we are female-focused, our community is open to ALL genders; as the Caribbean saying goes “one hand cannot clap”, meaning we need the perspective of our male counterparts, as well as male champions in positions of influence to help us in our mission to spotlight a few (women) but by doing so create a space for all. 

Based on the following statistics, it is easy to see why International Women’s day is still a very much needed global campaign:

• Just 35% of STEM students in UK Higher Education are women
• At the current pace of change, it will take 73381 DAYS until the economic gender gap is closed.
• Only 3% of females say a career in tech is their first choice.
• Only 7.1% of executives in the blockchain industry are female.
• Only 14.5% of blockchain startup team members were women
• 43% of investors interested in Bitcoin are women - up from 13% last year (2020)

The truth of the matter is there has never been a more important year in how we support women, globally.

The following picture is of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka - United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women.

She recently shared these words and statistics on Sky News:

“Globally, due to the pandemic, the work achieved to help women has taken us back decades”

?Two-thirds of jobs lost are women. Tend to be lower-end jobs not protected by contracts

?Girls dropping out of schools

?Even in the Covid task Forces across 87 countries, only 3.6% have women in the leadership teams, despite the amazing female scientists

?17% of mothers have had to give up their jobs

?They are 9 times more likely to lose their job

?Domestic Violence has increased by 40% in some countries

?Preference in some countries for men to have the vaccinations ahead of women

So, as you can see/read there is a lot of work to do! We cannot and must not be complacent in this matter! Women/Females are 50% of the population! We count! Our issues matter!

It is Women in Blockchain’s mission to register 1000 new attendees to our upcoming International Women’s Day special WiBT monthly event with Nadia Hewett from the World Economic Forum and Aparna Jue from Input Output, IOHK.

Can you help us achieve this? Will YOU help us?! 

The event is on Wednesday 24th March at 6pm gmt and you can register your place here - https://www.airmeet.com/e/03f27460-58b8-11eb-aaa4-c189c0b3a553

If you are wondering why Blockchain? Why you should be, or why “women” should be interested in this space then read this very short article with quotes from a few of the female leaders in this space - https://billionsuccess.com/women-founders-in-blockchain/ 

Finally, as it is International Women’s Day it only seemed apt that I launch my debut podcast (ep 1) today!!

If you can spare 15mins then I would appreciate you checking out the spanking brand new Women in Blockchain Talks podcast here - https://bit.ly/WiBTPodcast at 5pm GMT (or just after that time).

Thank you in advance for your support and interest!

For more information about Women in Blockchain Talks, go here - https://bit.ly/WIBTLinks 

#IWD2021