But perhaps we’re looking at the problem from the wrong angle.
Talent is not lacking in the female workforce.
What’s lacking is the ability to recognize, attract, and truly value it.
Over the past year, including through my participation in the European Forum Connecting Women In Digital, I’ve clearly seen how stark the paradox is: while the demand for STEM skills is growing, a huge portion of talent—female talent—still remains marginalized in Europe, and particularly in our country.
So the question changes: is it really a shortage… or is it a problem of access, culture, and choice?
It’s not just a question of equity. It’s a question of competitiveness.
Because without women in STEM, we won’t just have fewer skills.
We’ll have less innovation, less perspective, less future.
Because perhaps it’s time to stop chasing the mismatch…
and start redesigning the system that generates it.
Digital inclusion is one of the 10 priorities we’ve identified at UN Women Italy.
I talked about it during the Value@Work Open Talks 2026. Here is the video
