Karachi: Google Pakistan marked International Women's Day with a webinar, "HERstory: Google IWD 2025," spotlighting the achievements of women in Pakistan's digital economy. The event, attended by more than 550 participants, was graced by the presence of Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and centered on advancing women in technology.
According to Google, the webinar aligned with International Women's Day's 2025 theme, "Accelerate Action," emphasizing the empowerment of women in the digital economy. Discussions focused on education, mentorship, and access to technological tools. A panel of women who have benefited from Google's digital skilling initiatives shared their experiences, highlighting their roles in fostering career advancement for Pakistani women.
Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja emphasized the progress Pakistan is making in bridging the gender gap in technology, underscoring the government's commitment to ensuring no woman is left behind in the tech revolution. She pointed to initiatives like the laptop scheme, which have empowered thousands of female students to thrive in a digital world.
Farhan Qureshi, Google's Country Director for Pakistan, reiterated Google's dedication to transforming lives through technology. He noted Pakistan's position as the third-largest freelance economy globally and the growing digital talent pool, highlighting Google's initiatives like Digital Safar, Google Career Certificates, and Google Developer Groups, which aim to equip Pakistanis with skills and opportunities to succeed in the global economy.
According to the "Agay Barho: Empowering Pakistan's Digital Economy" report, narrowing the digital skills gap could add PKR 2.8 trillion to Pakistan's GDP by 2030. Google is addressing this gap with programs like Google Career Certificates, which offer training in fields such as cybersecurity and digital marketing. Since 2022, over 100,000 scholarships have been awarded, nearly half to women.
Google is also advancing the developer ecosystem through Google Developer Groups, with strong participation from female developers. The #AISeekho program has seen over 1,300 women gaining experience in AI, machine learning, and cloud technologies, furthering the goal of elevating Pakistani tech talent.