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Women in IT in Bosnia and Herzegovina: From rare exceptions to leaders of change
Illustration (Photo: Pixabay.com/StartupStockPhotos)
We spoke with several female leaders from Bosnia and Herzegovina to understand their views on the contribution of women in technology, the necessary cooperation of systems and advice for young women considering a career in the IT sector.
The stories of eKapija interlocutors show that girls` perception and access to technology is slowly changing.
- Girls today see technology not only as code and screens, but as a tool through which they can express their creativity, ideas and values - Dragana Babić, director of the First International Cyber School KIBERONE Banja Luka (Women Techmaker Ambassador, Women TechNetwork Country Leader BiH) points out, stressing that visible role models and mentoring are key to breaking long-standing stereotypes.
She reminds that women in IT were once a rare exception. - It required much more than knowledge, it was necessary to have persistence to remain visible, authentic and consistent in a world that does not expect you in that place - Babić says. Her mission is clear: digital literacy must become a right, not a privilege, so that children and youth from smaller communities have the same chances as those from developed centers.
Kristina Erak, Operations Manager at the Bit Alliance Association, points out that the most common obstacles arise from the belief that the IT field is very demanding and that success requires special technical or mathematical prior knowledge. - Key skills in technology are developed through learning and practice, not through predetermined predispositions - Erak tells eKapija. Through initiatives like the CoderDojo program, girls gain experience and confidence, demonstrating that IT can be creative, inclusive and accessible.
Elmana Plenko, Head of Delivery at one of the most innovative IT companies in the region, the Ministry of Programming, indicates that the challenge today is women`s advancement, not entry into the industry. She explains that the "broken rung" phenomenon means that many competent women remain in technical positions because they do not have mentors or the opportunity to show their full potential.
- Many talented women remain in technical positions, not because of lack of ambition, but because they do not have someone who will recognize, support and advocate for them. In addition, the feeling that they must speak more carefully and prove themselves for longer is still present. For me, the real progress will be when every woman in IT feels that she has the right, but also the space, to lead, without feeling that she has to work twice as hard to prove it - Plenko explains.
- In my career, I have encountered obstacles many times, but I decided not to treat them as obstacles, but as lessons. I never agreed to inequality as a "rule of the game" and I always pointed out clearly when I saw that an opportunity was going into someone`s hands just because that someone was louder, not more capable.
She states that determination in a man is seen as strength, and in a woman it is often seen as harshness. - A woman who is assertive is often labeled as "difficult", and paradoxically, if she shows warmth and empathy, she is perceived as "insufficiently strong". It`s this impossible balance that many women in leadership find themselves in - and that`s exactly why many of them choose to stay a step behind.
Her leadership philosophy, a combination of determination and empathy, demonstrates how women in IT are redefining the rules of the game and building a team culture that enables growth and innovation.
(Photo: ESB Professional/shutterstock.com)
- The biggest obstacle remains the limited access to early financial support - Pelesić points out and adds: - Nevertheless, the opportunities have never been greater. Today, we have an increasingly strong network of incubators, pre-accelerator programs and organizations like Blum Institute, the eComm association and platform Elevate.ba, and the Business Angle Summit that offer knowledge, mentorship and networking. When we combine scientific potential with the entrepreneurial energy of women, we create innovations that not only respond to market needs, but change the entire community. This is one of the opportunities we want to create at the Institute.
Pelesić tells us that as someone who has completed her studies in genetics, she has long had the feeling that she has to prove specifically why she is "competent enough" to make strategic decisions.
- Sometimes I asked myself: How does my laboratory experience fit into meetings with investors or decision makers? However, I quickly realized that this is exactly where my advantage lies, because the analytical and systematic nature of science, along with the dynamics and speed of the digital economy, create a powerful combination.
Leadership, inclusion and systemic support as drivers of development in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kristina Erak adds that inclusivity in IT is more than a moral obligation – it is a strategic choice. - Bit Alliance is clearly committed to the development of the sector in which women have equal visibility, support and opportunities for advancement - says Erak.
Bit Alliance is a signatory of the UN Women Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality, and their work is recognized internationally - they even received recognition in Kazakhstan for their contribution to equality in the digital sector.
In 2023, Bit Alliance conducted the first comprehensive survey on gender equality and social inclusion in the IT industry of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based on the results, the publication "Guidelines for Inclusive Communication in the IT Industry" was created, a practical guide for companies that want to improve communication practices and ensure a working environment based on equal opportunities.
Kristina Erak: "Changes are already happening at the level of early interest" (Photo: Denis Ruvić)
- In the IT industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is a large number of women who, through their professional roles, management positions and social engagement, significantly contribute to the development of the sector. In numerous Bit Alliance member companies, it is women who lead key business processes - from software development and project management to business strategy, design and education. Numerous companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina have women as directors or members of top management, and their contribution is visible outside the framework of the companies - Erak adds.
Dragana Babić reminds that the biggest challenge for women in IT is not to enter, but to stay and advance. - Women still face invisible barriers, unequal opportunities and their own doubts that arise because they have long been taught to be "modest" - says Babić.
For Babić, women`s leadership is not just a "female perspective" – it changes the logic of the system itself. - When women lead, they create spaces where others can also grow, and that brings true innovation - she points out. She especially emphasizes the importance of mentorship: - Knowledge can be learned, but the feeling of belonging to a community and the belief that your voice is valuable comes through people who support you at the right moment.
Babić also emphasizes the need for structural changes: - Bosnia and Herzegovina has enormous potential, but often women work alone, without an institutional framework or funds. Long-term programs, micro-grants, mentoring, cooperation with schools and universities are needed, because when women are supported to develop ideas, the whole community benefits.
In the Ministry of Programming, inclusion is not a campaign, but a way of working, Elman Plenko points out for eKapija and explains:
- Our structure isn`t strictly hierarchical. Every team member has the opportunity to participate in projects, communication with clients and decision making from the beginning.
Flexible working and open conversations about gender equality are key to sustaining leadership roles. Plenko notes:
- Equality does not come by itself. We monitor indicators such as representation of women, speed of advancement and participation in project management. If we notice an imbalance, we respond through visibility and opportunities, not formal quotas.
Her experience also shows an important psychological dimension: women often refuse leadership roles because they think they are not ready yet, while men accept immediately. - It`s not a difference in ability, but in the perception of one`s own readiness - and that`s exactly where I see the area where we have to support each other the most.
I would say to young girls: don`t wait until you feel ready. Almost no one is ready when something big starts. Accept the challenges that scare you a bit, because this is where growth begins - Plenko points out.
Alema Pelesić from the Blum Institute emphasizes the need for continuous support through all stages of development - from the first idea, through research, to commercialization and scaling of startups. Programs like IT Girls, Elevate, and Swiss EP help girls build confidence and transform ideas into viable businesses.
Pelesić also emphasizes the importance of a combination of international and local organizations: Global partners bring standards and new approaches, and local institutions turn them into long-term models that really serve the community. - Such an ecosystem enables financing to become a natural consequence of quality development, rather than an obstacle.
The benefits and quality of women in technology
The benefits and quality of women in technology
(Photo: Pixabay / RAEng_Publications)
Kristina Erak says that the dilemmas are completely understandable, especially in a fast-growing industry.
- Most skills are acquired by learning and practice, not by innate talent. If there is even the slightest interest, take the first step - try a workshop, program or talk to people from the IT sector. Self-confidence and competencies develop gradually through experience, and the IT sector values effort, knowledge and curiosity - says Erak.
She also referred to the cooperation of the educational system, IT companies and institutions.
- The cooperation of these actors is key to creating a sustainable and inclusive ecosystem in which more girls will choose a career in technology. Education lays the foundation through quality curricula and early exposure to STEM fields, while IT companies provide hands-on experience, mentoring and a clear picture of what working in the industry looks like. Institutions have an important role to play in creating policies that support digital transformation and encourage equality in access to education and employment. When these three parties act in concert, conditions are created in which girls and women have better visibility of opportunities, greater access to programs and clearer paths to employment. Precisely such coordinated cooperation is a prerequisite for a long-term increase in women`s participation in the IT sector.
The future of women in the IT sector
Alema Pelesić tells young girls to be brave and trust their path, even when it looks messy or non-linear.
- Each workshop, each project, each small challenge or rejection is later assembled into a meaningful mosaic. As Steve Jobs said: "You can only connect the dots looking backwards". Every step you take today, even one that seems insignificant now, is shaping your path and creating opportunities that you may not see right now.
As she tells us, the goal is to completely erase those "silent boundaries" that define what is typically a "woman`s path".
- That it no longer surprises anyone that a woman from genetics leads strategic partnerships in business, or that an entrepreneur develops new technology in cooperation with a research center. Through my work at the Bloom Institute, where we are building bridges between AI research and practical application, I see enormous potential for transformation. I want Bosnia and Herzegovina to become a recognized regional hub for women-led tech companies, not as a separate category, and for more leadership positions in the tech sector to be held by women by 2030.
My vision is clear and multi-layered: girls acquire the first lines of code through the programs, which prepares them for the next step, young women launch their startups through Elevate, while female investors support the new generation of female entrepreneurs, and experts at the Bloom Institute lead research projects that become entrepreneurial ventures.
Elmana Plenko: "Authenticity, not conforming to stereotypes, makes a difference and opens up space for others to lead in their own way" (Photo: Ajla Začina)
- When leading large technical teams by women is not news, but the norm, and when an assertive woman is not "difficult", but simply efficient and competent. Equality is not achieved by panels or articles, but by changing the system – when companies stop asking "how do we support women?" and they begin to ask "how do we design an environment where everyone has an equal chance to succeed?" That`s the future I want, not one where women have to conform to leadership, but one where leadership evolves to reflect all of us.
These stories confirm the trend that is already slowly changing the IT industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina - women do not wait for opportunities to come to them on their own, but create them, leading projects, teams and communities that shape the future of technology in the country. Each new generation of girls that steps into the world of IT further breaks down stereotypes, showing that leadership, innovation and creativity are not a matter of gender, but of vision and persistence.
Senka Trivić
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