Why does Web3 Matter for Women?
In the early days of the internet, women were some of the most active users and creators of web content. In fact, according to a study by the Pew Research Center, "women were more likely than men to use the internet for communicative purposes such as sending email." But somewhere along the way, things changed.
Today, women are vastly outnumbered by men when it comes to participation in the digital economy. We're seeing this same trend play out in the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency. According to a study by Deloitte, only 6 percent of senior executives in blockchain companies are women. And in the top 100 cryptocurrency wallets, less than 5 percent belong to women. This lack of gender diversity is bad for business and it's bad for the blockchain industry as a whole.
So why does blockchain need more women? For one thing, gender diversity makes good business sense. Companies with gender-diverse leadership teams are shown to outperform their male-dominated counterparts. But more importantly, blockchain is at its best when it's decentralized. When one group controls the lion's share of power, it goes against the very essence of what this technology is all about. So let's take a look at three specific ways that women can help bring about more equity, wealth creation, and opportunity in the world of blockchain.
Wealth Creation opportunities for stay at home moms:
Blockchains enable peer-to-peer transactions without the need for a third party intermediary like a bank or government agency. This not only gives people more control over their own money but also opens up new opportunities for wealth creation. For example, stay-at-home moms can use blockchain-based platforms to directly sell goods and services to buyers without having to go through a middleman. This could be anything from homemade baked goods to handmade jewelry to custom websites. By cutting out the middleman, these women can keep more of the profits for themselves and their families.
More Equity through Inclusion:
One of the great promises of blockchain is that it has the potential to provide economic opportunities to people who have been shut out of the traditional financial system. This is already happening in countries like Kenya, where mobile money transfers are helping millions of people participate in the digital economy who otherwise would not have had access to banking services. Inclusion of more women in the blockchain space will help further this goal by ensuring that a wider range of voices is represented in decision-making processes.
The Opportunity Web 3 and Blockchain Innovation provide:
Another way that women can help shape the future of blockchain is by being involved in developing new applications and technologies built on top of blockchains - known as Web 3 technologies. These include things like decentralized applications (dApps), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and synthetic assets. By participating in Web 3 development, women can help create new opportunities for themselves and other women in areas like financial inclusion, healthcare, supply chain management, and much more.
Women have always been at the forefront of technological innovation - from early pioneers like Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper to modern trailblazers like Sheryl Sandberg and Reese Witherspoon. But somewhere along the way, we lost our way when it comes to participation in the digital economy. Thankfully, there's a new technology on the horizon that has the potential to level the playing field: blockchain. So let's roll up our sleeves and get started building a brighter future for everyone - because when women succeed, we all succeed.