Meet Irena Dervishaj: Bridging Technology and Justice

Technology can strengthen justice systems by making them more secure, inclusive, and accessible. On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we spoke with Irena Dervishaj, ICT Business Analyst for the EU4DigitalJustice Project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS Albania. EU4DigitalJustice supports Albania’s EU accession by strengthening the rule of law and increasing public trust in the justice system through digital transformation, enabling better collection and sharing of judicial data. Within this framework Irena plays a key role in translating business workflows into technical designs. Also as an expert in data analysis and reporting, she works with complex datasets to generate insights that support informed management decision-making. 

With over 20 years of experience in the sector, Irena has built a strong career in fields where women are still underrepresented.

“I have always been drawn to work that makes a social impact,” she says. “Technology is powerful, but only when it responds to real-world needs.”

At the EU4DigitalJustice project, Irena supports the development of  a case management system for Albania’s prosecution office. “When drafting the system requirements together with the project team, I focused on security for gender-based violence cases, multilingual access, and features for users with different levels of digital literacy. These are not extras, they are essential to delivering justice for everyone,” she explains.

In parallel, she contributes to a feasibility study focused on exploring how justice institutions could securely share and analyse information through a unified digital system. This work helps lay the foundation for more informed decision-making, improved coordination between institutions, and greater transparency across the justice sector.

As a woman in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Irena sees her professional role as an opportunity to challenge inequalities embedded in technological systems. 

“Digital systems can either reinforce existing gaps or help close them, depending on how they are designed. Technology always reflects choices. We must ask: whose needs are we prioritizing?”- she notes.

Through her work in technical roles, Irena has encountered stereotypes about who is seen as belonging in STEM. “Early in my career, I would present technical solutions and see surprise when people realized I truly understood the complexity” she recalls. “Looking at women in these domains, people often think that we are less technical, better suited for training or support roles rather than systems architecture”, explains Irena. To these biases she responds with confidence and skill. “Technical excellence speaks louder than stereotypes”. Yet she stresses that equality in these fields requires more than personal effort: “It needs visibility, opportunity, and structural change.”

Mentorship has also shaped her path. Recalling a supervisor who encouraged her to lead complex projects in a male-dominated environment, Irena affirms: “Mentorship matters. I imagine a young girl seeing a woman in tech and thinking: "That could be me.”

Indeed, when women are fully included in STEM, the benefits extend far beyond individual achievement. Diverse teams drive better outcomes, enhance creativity, and improve problem-solving.

As the world continues to navigate rapid technological change, encouraging gender parity in STEM is not only a matter of fairness but a strategic imperative for sustainable development and inclusive innovation.