Despite the rapid global growth of the information technology sector in recent years, women’s participation in Nepal’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector remains significantly low.

A research report by Women in Information Technology (WIIT) on women's participation, leadership, and engagement in Nepal’s ICT sector found that women constitute only 7.88 percent of employees in ICT companies. While their presence is relatively higher in core technical roles, women account for just 0.51 percent of employees in companies that utilize ICT.

The findings are based on a survey of 402 ICT companies, 400 ICT-enabled companies, and 430 businesswomen, supplemented by eight focus group discussions. The study was led by digital landscape expert Dr. Amrita Sharma. According to the report, most women in the ICT sector are under 25 years old, with women comprising 45.54 percent of the 18–25 age group and 43.70 percent of the 26–35 age group.

Among women working in the sector, 19.55 percent hold senior positions, while 40.4 percent are in mid-level roles. In terms of education, 0.64 percent of women in ICT have a PhD, 20.95 percent hold a master’s degree, and 67.1 percent have a bachelor’s degree.

Regarding ethnic representation, 44.8 percent of women in ICT are Brahmin/Kshetri, while 42.46 percent are Janajati. However, women’s enrollment in ICT-related programs remains low at both Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University. At the undergraduate level, women make up 30.28 percent of ICT students at Tribhuvan University and only 13.55 percent at Kathmandu University. The report states that women account for less than 20 percent of postgraduate ICT students.

A major challenge for women entering the ICT sector is the lack of guidance during university studies. The report also highlights poor working conditions and difficulties in balancing personal and professional responsibilities as significant barriers early in their careers.

On salary equality, Nepal appears to be more inclusive than other Asian countries. The study found that 87.9 percent of ICT companies do not discriminate in salary payments, while 12.1 percent do. However, the report notes that most female employees do not negotiate their salaries. In contrast, women in India’s ICT sector earn 15 to 20 percent less than their male counterparts.

The study also found that 34.3 percent of ICT companies have special "support targets" for women, while the rest do not. Additionally, 11.4 percent of companies do not provide paid maternity leave, while 5.9 percent offer more than 98 days of leave. The report states that 38 percent of companies provide paid maternity leave for 46 to 60 days.

Speaking at a review of the report on Tuesday, Kathmandu Engineering College Director Dr. Pratima Pradhan noted that as Nepal’s ICT sector expands, women’s contributions are also increasing. However, she emphasized that the report does not fully capture this progress and should be refined in future studies.