In order to increase women's incomes, the National Commission for Women's Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President and the international technology park Astana Hub implemented the IT-Aiel program to improve the digital competencies of unemployed women and mothers on maternity leave. The program included training for women in programming and opportunities to sell their services on freelancing platforms.

“This program not only helps to improve the professional level of women, but also opens up new horizons for their career growth. IT-Aiel has become a significant step towards increasing the participation of women in the field of information technology and the digital economy in Kazakhstan. More than 2,600 women from all over the country have already taken part in this program, which indicates a growing interest in improving digital skills,” noted Alina Abdrakhmanova, Managing Director of Astana Hub, during a press conference at the Digital Bridge 2023 site.

It is also planned to develop and implement the TechnoWomen Startup acceleration program, which will allow women to expand their access to digital technologies, improving their economic prospects and position in the labor market. An initiative working group has been created on the basis of the non-profit organization TechnoWomen, which will present on the sidelines of Digital Bridge 2023 a program to involve SMEs in e-commerce Qazaq e-com.

“This program includes a set of measures to increase the transparency of certification of goods, simplify tax administration, as well as improve the digital competencies of micro and small entrepreneurs. In addition, TechnoWomen organized a presentation of 20 IT projects created by women to akimats, regional and international business communities. Currently, the association has a partner network in the countries of Central Asia, which unites progressive women from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan,” said Aziza Shuzheeva, president of TechnoWomen.

The creation and development of Kazakh marketplaces, the transition to electronic checks and the expansion of the network of fulfillment centers, as well as the development of logistics will contribute to an increase in investment in this sector. According to Asel Zhanasova, Chairman of the Board of Kazpost JSC, it is very important to provide support in the development of digital services and access to the digital economy for the rural population. Therefore, the company strives to become an integrated financial and logistics e-commerce operator and is ready to provide preferential rates for artisans who sell their products through marketplaces.

The implementation of the presented initiatives requires joint efforts of the state, non-governmental organizations and business. The work on the digital transformation of the economy and society is just beginning, and women must continue to study, develop their digital skills and actively introduce them into the digital economy, according to the round table participants.

Let us remind you that on October 12-13, the capital of Kazakhstan is hosting Digital Bridge 2023, the largest IT forum in Central Asia. The main topic of the forum is a discussion of the role of artificial intelligence in the modern world - Artificial and Human Intelligence: The Right Balance.

The two-day forum program includes large-scale events, such as a plenary session with the participation of the Head of State and one-to-one meetings with him, 30+ panel sessions with international speakers, signing agreements, events from Google for Startups, filming of a reality show about startups “Meet” the Drapers", Digital Bridge Awards, Astana Hub Battle, Startup Alley, job fair and a number of exhibitions - corporations, robotics, VC, IT schools and regional IT hubs.

The organizers of Digital Bridge 2023 are the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Akimat of Astana and the international technology park Astana Hub. General sponsor - Kaspi.kz.