One of the most important opportunities digitalization offers women is in working life. Remote and flexible work, online education, and digital entrepreneurship can create new ways for women to take part in economic life. Digital workspaces may be especially useful for women who face barriers to accessing traditional workplaces. Dereli (2026) highlights the need to consider the gender side of digital change and points to its potential to support women’s participation in employment.

However, the digital world does not automatically create equality for women. The digital divide is still an important issue. Access to the internet and technology, digital skills, education, and financial resources are not equal for everyone. As Dinç (2017) shows in the case of Türkiye, women’s ability to adapt to digital opportunities can be affected by education, income, and other social factors. Therefore, women who cannot access or use technology effectively may also be left out of future education and work opportunities.

Inequality is also not limited to access to technology. The low representation of women in the technology sector and in digital decision-making is another major concern. If technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital platforms are mainly designed from the views of certain groups, they may repeat existing social biases. Women therefore need to be represented not only as users but also as technology creators and decision-makers.

At the same time, information and communication technologies can be powerful tools for women’s empowerment. Online education, digital financial services, entrepreneurship platforms, and communication networks can help women access information, economic resources, and new opportunities. Fatima et al. (2025) show that information and communication technologies can support women’s economic and social empowerment. In this way, the digital world can help women not only access existing opportunities but also create new ones.

For these opportunities to become real, digital change must be inclusive. Women need earlier access to technology education, stronger digital skills, support in STEM fields, and greater representation in the technology sector. Problems such as discrimination, online harassment, and safety risks must also be addressed, as they can limit women’s participation in digital spaces.

In conclusion, women’s role in the digital future will not be limited to using technology. Women can become stronger actors in creating, guiding, questioning, and changing the technologies of the future. However, this will not happen automatically. It depends on steps taken in education, access, representation, and equality. If the digital future is truly to be for everyone, women need to be not only part of this world but also at the center of shaping its future.

References

Dereli, S. (2026). Teknoloji, yenilik ve demografi ekseni: Dijital dönüşümün işgücüne katılım üzerindeki cinsiyete dayalı etkileri. Gazi İktisat ve İşletme Dergisi, 12(2), 444–467. https://izlik.org/JA88RT49YG

Dinç, S. (2017). Kadınların dijital olanaklara uyumu: Türkiye örneği. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 22(Kayfor 15 Özel Sayısı), 1761–1783. https://izlik.org/JA89PB42HY

Fatima, U., Ahmad, N., Menegaki, A. N., & Wang, H. (2025). How do information and communication technologies (ICTs) empower women? Women’s Studies International Forum, 109, 103057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103057