In the words of Aliya Chynybaeva: “Digitalization enables women to contribute to the development of the country, their families, and their personalities”
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Aliya Chynybaeva is the CEO of Halyk Bank Kyrgyzstan and a board member of the International Business Council of Kyrgyzstan who brings her 30 years of experience in the financial sector in Central Asia to the forefront. As the ex-general director of VISA for Central Asia, she has witnessed significant progress in IT technologies over the last decade. During the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE region held on March 13-14, 2024, Aliya Chynybaeva participated in a peer-learning roundtable on building effective partnerships for digital transformation. Supported by the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, she emphasized that empowering women in the digital world is crucial for inclusive societal development.
“In the face of global and regional challenges, digital transformation has had a tremendous positive impact on almost all sectors of the economy. Young men and women play a special role in driving the creative economy through digitalization.
Notably, women are increasingly participating in the digital landscape. For instance, the Ministry of Digital Development of Kyrgyzstan has established the digital platform “Tunduk” to support paperless documentation between G2G (government to government) and G2B (government to business) sectors. Over the last five years, this platform has processed more than 1 billion transactions, with 50% of e-documents users being women. Additionally, supporting youth in this direction involves providing grants for education in STEM fields, organizing internships and knowledge exchange, and actively supporting mentorship programs.
Despite ongoing progress, there are still women who do not have the opportunity to engage with global trends, technologies, and equality in the workplace. Digitalization presents an opportunity to significantly narrow this gap. It enables women to contribute to the development of the country, their families, and their personalities.
For instance, in Kyrgyzstan, we have 80 computer classes that are only used during the election period. We’ve collaborated with various stakeholders, including the Central Election Committee, businesses, and non-governmental organizations, to offer free training sessions on basic computer skills in the Kyrgyz language for girls and women in all regions. Following the webinars, participants received additional training on family relationships, psychological support, financial literacy, and online employment. As a result, many women have begun to explore e-commerce, launching Instagram shops, and selling their handcrafted items online. It’s evident that continued digital transformation will play a pivotal role in integrating women into every facet of society, economy, and technology.
Therefore, governments, international organizations, and the financial sector must create financial products specifically designed for women entrepreneurs, ensuring their access to capital. Women's involvement in business faces obstacles such as a lack of knowledge and skills, insufficient funding sources for starting projects, and persistent gender stereotypes.
In this context, certain tools are essential for enabling women and girls to drive change in the digital domain. The primary one is investing in digital skills training for women. This involves increasing investments in evidence-based initiatives aimed at bridging the gender digital divide and developing specialized financing instruments to enhance women's participation and retention in the digital economy. Additionally, providing leadership opportunities for women in digital transformation is crucial. We should support any initiatives aimed at empowering women in the digital sphere, such as grants for girls' education in STEM fields, internships, and knowledge exchange programs.
Our strategies at the bank aim to promote digital inclusion and the responsible use of digital technologies. The proportion of women is growing every year, with female representation in middle and top management exceeding 50 percent, and women leading 70 percent of our IT projects. For instance, in 2022, our team launched a new product - digital customer onboarding – with women forming the core of the project team.
As CEO, I strive to ensure equality between men and women, actively supporting women in their projects. Despite the prevalent workplace bias favoring men due to the stereotype that women struggle to balance work and family life, I am committed to the mission of Halyk Group: to champion women’s equality with men in digital realm.”