Empowering Women in the Public Sector: Navigating New Realities

Shirley Chrisholm, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, famously said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

Women have brought folding chairs, breaking barriers by continuing to occupy a greater number of roles in the public sector. But they continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions, with the U.S. ranking 75th out of 193 countries on women representation in government, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Perhaps more troubling is the pandemic’s impact on women in the workplace, as they commonly bear the brunt of issues like lack of childcare options. There are roughly two million less women in the labor force now than in February 2020. More than 300,000 women left the workforce in September 2021 alone. More may follow. According to a McKinsey Report, one in three women have thought about leaving their jobs or “downshifting” their careers in the last year.

As the pandemic drags on, support for women is crucial to maintain morale as we all navigate new realities of work-life balance. At the same time, there is more work to be done, particularly around diversity, inclusion and equity, as minority women in particular were disproportionately affected by the pandemic. We must focus, too, on attracting more women to STEM careers like cybersecurity.

Please join the Center for Digital Government in collaboration with our partner, Microsoft, for our 2nd annual event by women and for women that will feature rapid roundtable discussions, Q&As and short inspirational talks, all with the goal of advancing professional and personal learning for women in the public sector.