Digital transformation in Uzbekistan has created new institutional and educational opportunities for increasing women’s participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study examines how national digitalization reforms, ICT expansion, and targeted support initiatives influence women’s access to STEM education, digital skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. The research applies document analysis, descriptive trend analysis, and comparative synthesis based on official policy documents, international analytical reports, and institutional materials related to digitalization and gender inclusion in Uzbekistan. The study identifies key enabling factors, including state-supported ICT infrastructure, women-focused training initiatives, grant mechanisms, and emerging professional communities, as well as persistent barriers such as gender stereotypes, uneven participation levels, and limited sex-disaggregated monitoring data. As an analytical contribution, the paper proposes a conceptual data-driven framework for monitoring women’s participation in STEM through a structured system of indicators covering education, training, employment, and entrepreneurship. The proposed framework integrates policy inputs, support mechanisms, and measurable outcomes into a unified analytical model and is illustrated through an exploratory threshold-based pilot assessment to show its interpretive monitoring potential. The findings show that digitalization in Uzbekistan is expanding the ecosystem of opportunities for women in STEM, but stronger monitoring tools, better data integration, and more targeted support mechanisms are required to ensure long-term and inclusive progress. The study contributes to the discussion on digital inclusion by linking national reform processes with a practical monitoring approach for evaluating gender-related outcomes in STEM development.
Keywords
DigitalizationWomen in STEMGender InclusionICT EducationDigital TransformationUzbekistanMonitoring Framework
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