Telescope Services

International Women’s Day: Celebrating Gender Equality in Sweden and the Future of Women in Tech 👩‍🔧🌸

On International Women’s Day, we recognize not only the importance of gender equality, but also the concrete steps Sweden has taken to close the gender gap—both across society and within the tech industry.

Sweden consistently ranks as one of the most gender-equal countries in the world. It was one of the first countries to introduce paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers back in the 1970s, encouraging a more balanced division of care at home. Today, each parent gets 240 days of leave, and companies are expected to support employees who take this time off.

Sweden also ensures that affordable, high-quality childcare is available for everyone, making it easier for both parents to pursue careers. Combined with equal pay laws, anti-discrimination protections, and a cultural commitment to transparency, Sweden achieves one of the highest female workforce participation rates in the world.

The Gender Gap in Tech ⚙️
Despite these advances, Sweden’s tech and engineering sectors, like much of the world, still see fewer women in technical roles and leadership positions. But Sweden isn’t ignoring the problem—it’s actively working to attract, support, and retain women in tech through targeted initiatives like:

🔹 Tekla Festival – A creative event encouraging young girls to explore coding, robotics, and innovation, breaking stereotypes about who belongs in tech.

🔹 Women in Tech Sweden – One of Sweden’s largest networks for women in tech, offering conferences, mentoring, and professional development.

🔹 #AddHer – A nationwide mentorship program connecting women in IT and tech to peers and role models across the country.

🔹 Government-funded programs – Through Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency, companies and universities receive funding for gender equality projects in STEM.

🔹 Company-level actions – Many of Telescope’s clients actively set gender balance targets and invest in leadership programs designed to support women engineers.

As a company that relocates engineers from around the world to Sweden, we see firsthand how diverse teams drive innovation. We also know that attracting more women into tech doesn’t just mean more equal opportunities—it leads to better products, smarter solutions, and healthier work environments.

Today, we celebrate Sweden’s progress—and commit to being part of the continued work toward greater equality in tech and beyond.

Happy International Women’s Day! 💜

📸 Credits: Cecilia Larsson Lantz/ Sofia Sabel/Margareta Bloom Sandebäck/Imagebank.sweden.se