Network of Women in Digital Transformation of the State:

On the path to the State's digital transformation, women are not only professionals in the tech ecosystem: we also inhabit the public sphere in multiple roles, contributing diverse and valuable perspectives from our everyday experiences as users, citizens, mothers, leaders, and more. That’s why our experiences matter and should be included from the design to the implementation of every digital policy or tool.

But we know that in Chile, this is still not a reality. According to the Digital Government indicators study, 75% of those working in public sector tech roles are men (2023)(1). When we add the low participation of women in STEM careers and the scarce presence of women in leadership positions, the picture becomes even more challenging. Just take the role of Digital Transformation Coordinator —a key position for leading institutional change— as an example: as of April 2025, only 20.91% of those holding this position are women (2).

This is not just about numbers, it’s about opportunities: the opportunity to access, stay, grow, be heard, and be recognized. That’s why we decided to take an important step: to create the “Network of Women in Digital Transformation of the State”.

Why? To support each other, to make ourselves visible, and to build a community. To show that we are here, that we exist, that there are many more of us than it may seem —and that when we come together, we learn, support each other, and drive real change. We want to move from equality that merely counts how many we are, to substantive equality —one that recognizes the structural conditions and barriers women face in the State.

Of course, each of us comes from a different place. Chile is a vast and diverse country: some live in the desert, others in the far south, some in large cities, and others in rural areas where electricity is only available for a few hours a day. These differences shape us —but they also enrich us. That’s why this network was born out of the need for a space where we can all feel we belong, no matter where we participate from —a space where, together, we can go further.

We meet every month. We share experiences, lessons, questions —and sometimes, fatigue. We organize workshops where one teaches and many learn. In this simple yet powerful way, we have supported 400 women between 2024 and 2025, from over 700 public administration agencies, strengthening our digital skills and our leadership.

Receiving recognition from the Apolitical Foundation as one of the “50 Gender Equality Gamechangers 2024” was an immense joy for our team. Not only for what it means personally, but because it highlights the collective work behind this network. It’s a sign that it’s worth continuing to create spaces for women driving the digital transformation of the State —not as spectators, but as protagonists.

Because when one of us grows, we all grow. And because a digital, more human, and fairer State is also built with us.

Fabiola Ramos - Isabel Briceño

(1) Digital Government Indicators Study 2023, Secretariat of Digital Government.

(2) Own elaboration based on data from the Secretariat of Digital Government, characterization of Digital Transformation Coordinators in public institutions (2025).