Beyond the peripheral: Why Australia must master the gender gap in tech

The International Women's Day 2026 theme, "Give to Gain", emphasises abundant giving and collaboration as critical tools for achieving gender equality. It suggests that when people, organisations, and communities invest in the visibility and advancement of women, the entire workforce reaps the rewards. 

This could not be more pertinent to our technology industry, which remains heavily male-dominated worldwide and locally. 

A 2025 report by RMIT Online and Deloitte Access Economics discovered that women make up just 30% of the tech workforce in Australia, despite accounting for nearly half of the country's total workforce. 

With our local tech sector facing a critical skills shortage, female talent represents the largest untapped talent pool. What's more, increasing women's participation in technology careers could represent a $6.5 billion opportunity for Australian businesses, according to RMIT and Deloitte's report. 

At Logitech, we recognise that you cannot build a balanced future with an imbalanced workforce. That means committing to programs and initiatives that will meaningfully shift women's participation in tech. 

Globally, we've seen how programs like our Women Who Master* initiative prove the "Give to Gain" philosophy. By investing in the stories of the engineers, designers, and data scientists who are already breaking through, we gain a roadmap for others to follow. 

The Blueprint: Women who master 

The Logitech MX team launched Women Who Master to dismantle the barriers preventing women from entering and succeeding in STEM, particularly in high-level tech and coding roles. 

The global program seeks to address the "participation cliff", in which girls' interest in STEM often drops off sharply around age 13. This is largely due to a lack of visible role models and a culture that can feel more exclusive than inclusive. 

By partnering with organisations like Girls Who Code and TechLit Africa, Logitech is working to dismantle the microaggressions that 90% of women in STEM continue to experience. The Women Who Master project comprises a range of initiatives, including spotlighting women who have mastered their fields, hosting industry events, and democratising access to code for young girls. 

A call for Australian advocacy

Local initiatives in Australia are also helping to advance this mission. The Tech Council of Australia's "Next Wave" program seeks to address women's underrepresentation in the tech workforce by creating more accessible pathways. 

Meanwhile, the Superstars of STEM initiative is designed to challenge gender assumptions about who can work in science, technology, engineering and maths by increasing the visibility of women as experts in the media. 

However, with only 27% of Australia's STEM workforce being women, it's clear that more is needed to move the dial on gender equality in these sectors. 

It is essential for local industry leaders to commit to the "Give to Gain" cause through a targeted approach. We at Logitech believe in fostering early interest, implementing inclusive hiring practices, providing structured mentorship, celebrating local innovators, and offering supportive work cultures to retain female talent. 

When we move beyond talk and into structured support, we do more than just balance the scales; we unlock the full creative potential of the Australian tech landscape.