Facts and figures on females from throughout the world.
By Elizabeth Ucles, Illustrations by Jessica Wetterer
100,000 Women Coding
Women Who Code, which works toward a world in which women are proportionately represented in all levels of the STEM realm, is paving the way for women in technology. The nonprofit’s goal is to empower women in tech by helping them build professional skills through tutorials, articles, videos, leadership opportunities and its global network. The organization also educates companies about the best practices in promoting, retaining and hiring more female employees. Women Who Code is 100,000 women strong, with 50 percent of its members working in engineering, 26 percent in tech, 8 percent in executive roles, 7 percent in management and the remainder in data science and design.
600 Minutes
Whether it’s checking email or responding to a text from the boss, women are reportedly spending 600 minutes on their cellphones every day, while men spend only 459 minutes. The Journal of Behavioral Addictions found women spend an average of 105 minutes texting, 57 minutes checking email and 46 minutes on social media each day, whereas men spend 84 minutes, 40 minutes and 30 minutes daily on these smartphone tasks, respectively. Maybe it’s because women are busier. Maybe it’s because avoiding the endless slew of beauty videos on YouTube is impossible. Regardless of the reasons, women have a hard time letting go of their phones. And that can lead to consequences. A study at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden discovered spending excessive time on a smartphone can lead to increased stress and depression in both men and women.
40 Percent More
Throughout the U.S., women are continuing to make gains on an economic level. However, they remain underrepresented in careers focused on science, technology, engineering and math, and are less likely than men to hold academic degrees in these fields. The good news is women in STEM are making strides in closing the gender wage gap. A 2017 report from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economics & Statistics Administration shows women in STEM fields earn 40 percent more than men with non-STEM careers. Additionally, the report notes women with STEM jobs earn 35 percent more than other women not working in STEM.
$40 Million Raised
Former head of Google Analytics and boss lady Amy Chang founded Accompany to create a database for senior decision-makers worldwide. Essentially a virtual chief of staff, Accompany provides executives all the necessary information they need before going into various meetings day in and day out. According to AngelList, in 2017, Accompany raised more than $40 million from top investors, and women currently represent 40 percent of Accompany’s growing team. Chang’s successful business has been featured in Business Insider, Fortune, The New York Times, Forbes and The Wall Street Journal.
68 Percent Increase
A lot has changed for women in the last 11 years. For instance, in 1997, African-American women made history when approximately 750,000 gathered to march on Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia to bring awareness to their trials and successes. Through all the social change in recent years, women-founded businesses are marking a new moment in history. Between 1997 and 2014, the number of women launching businesses in the U.S. increased by 68 percent. This is two times the growth rate of male-founded businesses during the same time period. According to Women Who Tech, a nonprofit that works to break down barriers and help more women-owned businesses get funding, the likelihood of women executives receiving venture funding has increased by three times, compared with 15 years ago.