Using Blockchain to Break the Bias

This International Women’s Day we hear from the inspiring women who are rebuilding their careers through computer education. 

“Being born a refugee, I learned great things can start with empty hands. As a technologist and educator I understood the importance of being a digital citizen of the world. Digital citizens can undermine the geographical boundaries, especially women living in underserved oppressive systems where their physical and financial freedom is being threatened or compromised.” – Fereshteh Forough 

Fereshteh Forough, founder of Code to Inspire, was born in a small town at the border of Iran and Afghanistan but her family left Afghanistan in the early 80s because of the Soviet invasion. 

One year after the Taliban regime collapsed, Fereshteh and her family moved back to Herat, Afghanistan. After returning, she earned her Bachelor in Computer Science and later her Master’s from Technical University of Berlin in Germany. Fereshteh taught as a professor at the Computer Science faculty of Herat University for almost three years. In January 2015 she founded the first coding school for girls in Herat, Afghanistan, teaching approximately 350 girls to learn to code.

Now she fears Afghanistan’s history of repressive regimes for women is repeating itself. So how can crypto help? 

“With the recent Taliban takeover, I am more certain that the liberation of Afghan women is mainly possible through technology education, keeping their identity private and enabling them to connect to the global economy through cryptocurrency.

When you educate one girl in Afghanistan with an average family of six, it brings them income and enables another six people to walk against an oppressive regime. The families begin to value their daughters’ lives and future. Therefore, imagine if we educate and liberate thousands of girls this way, all of a sudden a nation will be uprising against any regime that is forcing women to be locked up. 

As Rumi, 13th century Farsi poet said: ‘Where there is ruin, there is hope for treasure’.”

– Fereshteh

There is no denying careers in technology will only go from strength to strength as we see the digital revolution continue to boom. Yet it’s an industry that’s dominated by males. Based on a  study by Deloitte that shows, across financial technology companies, only 17% of senior roles are held by women. Not only are women grossly underrepresented in the blockchain industry’s workforce, the users of blockchain are also predominantly male. According to Binance’s 2021 Global Crypto User Index, 95% of crypto users are male, so championing young women to learn about blockchain and pursue careers in this industry is critical. 

An important step to increasing female inclusion in the industry and thus, closing the gender gap, is to break down the barriers that women face when entering the blockchain industry, be it as developers, traders, or other roles. One of these barriers is accessibility of blockchain education to women. 

With Fereshteh at the helm, Code to Inspire and  Binance Charity, is supporting 100 young women and their families by sponsoring them with monthly income to pay rent and medical bills, and purchase food and Internet in order for the students to focus solely on their studies.

Following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan on 15th August 2021, many women are now unable to continue education or work, which has led to families, especially where the women were the main breadwinners, facing financial crisis and ruin. 

 

“At Code to Inspire we empower women in Afghanistan by helping them learn technical skills and pursue careers. Even once students have those skills, being paid and protecting their savings can be challenging. Cryptocurrency ensures we have a way for students and staff to send, receive, and save money even if traditional banking infrastructure is unavailable. We see  blockchain as leveling the playing field, removing middlemen, gatekeepers, and unfairness to finally allow anyone to participate in the economy.”  – Fereshteh. 

 

In celebration of International Women’s Day, and as the three-month project draws to an end, we hear from four of the students.