UK launches taskforce to break down barriers for women in technology

The United Kingdom government on Tuesday announced the creation of a taskforce designed to help women enter, stay and lead in the technology sector. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall will lead the effort, which brings together female leaders from tech companies and organizations to advise the government on how to boost diversity and drive economic growth in the industry.

The taskforce will focus on making the tech sector more representative and ensuring the United Kingdom can access the full talent pool, market opportunities and innovation capacity needed for sustained growth. Kendall said the group would work to break down barriers that still prevent many women from pursuing or advancing careers in technology. "When women are inspired to take on a role in tech and have a seat at the table, the sector can make more representative decisions, build products that serve everyone," she said.

Industry data published by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, has shown that women remain underrepresented in UK tech. In December, BCS warned that the share of women working in IT specialist roles lagged far behind men and urged policymakers to address the gap in order to meet broader ambitions for AI and digital innovation. Chief executive Sharron Gunn argued that the health of AI systems depends on including the talents and perspectives of women in the profession, stating, "We cannot create high-trust, high-integrity AI systems if the profession behind them is missing out on the talents and perspective of half the population."

Anne-Marie Imafidon, founder of Stemettes and named as Women in Tech Envoy, will work alongside Kendall as a co-chair. Imafidon’s background includes passing A-level computing at age 11 and earning a Master’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Oxford by age 20. She described the current moment as pivotal in the so-called fourth industrial revolution and said the taskforce would build on more than a decade of work to promote greater equality and representation for women in STEM. "This isn't just about having women being the driving force and building the technology, but this is about building technology that benefits everybody," she told the BBC.

The government’s announcement outlined that the taskforce will advise on ways to make the tech sector more representative and to ensure the UK leverages the full talent pool, market opportunities and innovation capacity needed for economic growth. In addition to Kendall and Imafidon, the group includes 15 founding members from across industry, government and the broader tech ecosystem. Among them are BT Group chief executive Allison Kirkby, Revolut chief executive Francesca Carlesi and Dr Hayaatun Sillem, chief executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The taskforce also features voices from the wider labor and policy community, including Kate Bell, assistant general secretary at the Trades Union Congress, and Emma O’Dwyer, director of public policy at Uber. Sue Daley, director of technology and innovation at techUK, emphasized that practical barriers remain for many women pursuing tech careers. "Entry routes, career progression to leadership, and access to capital are just some of the barriers women in tech still face today," Daley said. "Achieving gender equality is long overdue, and I am honoured to join the Women in Tech taskforce alongside Liz Kendall and several inspiring women from across the industry, working together to chart a path forward for true gender equality."

Officials said the taskforce will operate as an advisory body, offering guidance on policies and programs to widen participation, support leadership development and improve pathways into technology careers. The aim is not only to diversify hiring but to ensure women have opportunities to influence product design, governance, funding and strategic decision-making in a sector increasingly critical to the UK economy and its AI ambitions. The government described the initiative as a key step in aligning the technology workforce with the needs of a modern, innovative economy and in fulfilling long-standing pledges to promote equality, opportunity and inclusion across all levels of the tech sector.