Thematic Working Group (TWG4) on intersectional approaches

Within the framework of the Women in Digital Forum, the Thematic Working Group on Intersectional Approaches (TWG4) will focus on how intersecting forms of inequality shape women’s access to, participation in, and advancement across the digital education and career pipeline.

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TWG4 will address the persistent underrepresentation of women in digital education, ICT careers, and leadership by examining how gender intersects with other factors such as race, ethnicity, disability, age, migration background, socioeconomic status, and geographical location. These factors create context-specific barriers that influence educational opportunities, training pathways, career progression, and access to decision-making positions in the digital sector. The Working Group will analyse how such inequalities emerge and are reinforced across different stages of the pipeline, from early STEM education and ICT training to professional careers and leadership roles.

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University will chair the group, and will promote an intersectional, evidence-based approach to policy and practice, moving beyond one-size-fits-all solutions. It will explore how data, institutional practices, and cross-sector collaboration between education providers, employers, policymakers, and civil society can be leveraged to design more inclusive and responsive systems. The focus will be on developing tools and frameworks that enable stakeholders to recognise, monitor, and address intersecting inequalities in a systematic and sustainable way.

Meet the Experts of TWG4:
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Alessandra Chirico
Founder & Managing Director at Chirico Consulting.
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Arlette Atete
CEO & Founder of ADMINATETE, expert in SaaS, product development & eco-innovation.
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Barbara Badurova
NGO leader, researcher at FILOE; PhD in philosophy, digital ethics & education.
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Celine-Marie Roming
MSc Socioeconomics; Project Manager for digital inclusion in Austria.
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Christin Schmidt
Senior commercial leader with 20 years scaling digital businesses globally.
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Despoina Kaneti
Senior Researcher at I-SENSE; expert in gender studies & digital communication.
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Joyce O’Connor
Founding President of NCI; Global Eisenhower Fellow; Chair of BlockW.
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Maria Luz Castro Pena
Researcher & Academic Coordinator, University of A Coruña; expert in video games & feminist digital studies.
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Mariachiara Tirinzoni
Independent researcher in ethics, philosophy, XR/AI & women’s health activism.
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Oana Iordăchescu
Global DEI leader; founder of Fair Cultures; inclusive hiring strategist.
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Panagiota Polykarpou
DEI trainer & co-founder of initiatives advancing girls in STEAM in Cyprus.
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Pritti Rana
Cybersecurity manager & civil servant focused on closing the digital skills gap.
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Sanchari De
ICT Coordinator & GDPR Ombud; PhD in Media & Communication; digital ethics expert.
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Nicoleta Negulescu
Project Implementation Expert, DNSC Romania.
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Gražina Droessiger
Chair of TWG4, Director of the Academic Support Centre at VILNIUS TECH.