Enhancing Women's Experiences in Software Engineering
J\'ulia Rocha Fortunato, Luana Ribeiro Soares, Gabriela Silva Alves,, Edna Dias Canedo, Fabiana Freitas Mendes

TL;DR
This paper explores the challenges women face at different life stages in software engineering, highlighting the need for early inclusion and societal change to improve their experiences and participation.
Contribution
It provides a comprehensive analysis of gender-related challenges across high school, university, and professional stages, emphasizing early intervention and societal shifts.
Findings
Women face discouragement due to toxic environments and lack of inclusion.
Challenges vary by life stage, with specific issues like maternity only mentioned by practitioners.
Proving competence is a recurring challenge across all stages.
Abstract
Context: Women face many challenges in their lives, which affect their daily experiences and influence major life decisions, starting before they enroll in bachelor's programs, setting a difficult path for those aspiring to enter the software development industry. Goal: To explore the challenges that women face across three different life stages, beginning as high school students, continuing as university undergraduates, and extending into their professional lives, as well as potential solutions to address these challenges. Research Method: We conducted a literature review followed by workshops to understand the perspectives of high school women, undergraduates, and practitioners regarding the same set of challenges and solutions identified in the literature. Results: Regardless of the life stage, women feel discouraged in a toxic environment often characterized by a lack of inclusion,…
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Taxonomy
TopicsCareer Development and Diversity · Gender and Technology in Education · Teaching and Learning Programming
