Social Inequalities

Should I stay or should I go?

keynote

This talk will describe the dilemmas a new mom in tech is facing. It is based on personal experiences and observations of a woman who worked in IT for 10 years before having a baby. The talk aims to give a perspective of what are the challenges a new mother faces and what can be done to improve the lives of mothers who are returning to work in tech.

  • A short career story of the speaker
  • A background story of being part of women in IT movement in Turkey
  • Inequalities between the partners when it comes to parenting and its effects on the career of primary care-taker
  • Going back to work after maternity leave
  • Interviews and the perceptions of recruiters
  • Shaming, judgment and other societal pressures on mothers returning to work
  • Changes in the professional life of a working mom (part-time work, self-employment, work from home) and reduced opportunities (not being able to travel or work extra hours, increased wage gap, being passed over for promotion)
  • Lack of mental health support and taboos around seeking help
  • What can be done to make digital cultures more inclusive towards working parents
  • Summary