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Gender equality in the era of digital transformation: A study on Bosnian and Herzegovinian youth
Ena Šahinpašić , Dino Šahinpašić , Asja Šišić , Una Smailović
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First Place Winner of The 2023 International Teacher-Student Research Competition Teacher Advisor: Dzevdeta Dervic
To cite: Šahinpašić, E., Šahinpašić, D., Šišić A., Smailović, U. (2023). Gender equality in the era of digital transformation: A study on Bosnian and Herzegovinian youth. International Journal of Youth-Led Research, 3(1).
http://doi.org/10.56299/stu345
Received September 30, 2023
Accepted November 15, 2023
Highlights
This is a youth-led original research. Youth researchers took all initiatives and made all decisions throughout the research process.
Youth ownership is undoubtedly the pioneer character of this study. While most youth studies attempt to answer the question of "what can be done for the youth," the focus of this study is "what can be done by the youth."
Drawing attention to the interconnectedness of gender equality and digital transformation, this study brings to light a fundamental fact: neither gender equality nor digital transformation can be accomplished as a stand-alone issue.
ABSTRACT
Objectives This study investigates gender equality in the era of digital transformation through a youth perspective, thus envisioning the roles and responsibilities of young people leading to a more gender-equal and digitally transformed future world.
Methods We conducted this cross-sectional study with a qualitative approach. Using a Google Form questionnaire, we collected data from 48 youth participants. For data analysis, we used reflexive thematic analysis with a latent, inductive approach.
Results Two themes emerged: youth’s recognition of societal-level issues, i.e., stigma and gender stereotypes, and youth’s recognition of individual-level issues, i.e., women’s struggle to participate in digital transformation.
Conclusion Our findings suggest that youth have a great capacity for empathy and critical thinking in matters related to gender equality and digital transformation of the world, and therefore are capable of participating in decision-making processes and taking responsibility to lead communities to a more gender-equal and digitally transformed future.
Keywords digital transformation, gender equality, youth perspectives, Bosnia and Herzegovina, UN sustainable development goals
INTRODUCTION
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Youth Research Vox,
Los Angeles, CA, U.S.
Correspondence to
Ena Šahinpašić
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a developing country. As youth researchers, we believe that it is important for us to recognize this fact and to strive to make changes happen. The process of improving or changing how people treat each other in our country is hard and extensive, but especially when it comes to modern concepts that are still being overlooked in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s society, such as the importance of gender equality and digital transformation. This is our main reason, out of many important ones, why we found it crucial for our research to empower and give a voice to the youth.
Youth perspectives on these crucial issues are often ignored. As Coffey & Han (2022) explained, this is because ever since the early 20th century, adolescence has been universally believed as a troubled age fueled by surging hormones and backed by a rebellious nature. Youth are seen as not trustworthy, not ready, or not capable of contributing to the betterment of the society (Furby & Beyth-Marom, 1992; Mutasa, 2020; Stanton & Clemens, 2006). With the advancement in developmental science in the recent decades, these negative views on youth have been gradually changing. However, young people are still not allowed to participate in the decision-making process on important issues (Ali, 2014; Alkan, 2019). We recognize the importance of understanding the perspectives of youth in the context of gender equality in the era of digital transformation, as it can provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that exist in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This knowledge can also be used to develop policies and programs that promote gender equality and digital transformation of the nation.
With the aim of understanding youth perspectives and envisioning the roles that they may play, we ask the following question: To what extent do Bosnian and Herzegovinian youth recognize the need for and challenges of achieving gender equality in the era of digital transformation?
*In this article, we use the term “women” to refer to females of all ages, and “youth” or “young people” to refer to adolescents and young adults.