Gender mainstreaming ezine august 2016 by Business Engage Association NPC

GENDER MAINSTREAMING E-ZINE

SUN INTERNATIONAL : WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP - P4

Growing the ranks of women leaders in South African law firms - p16 5 Simple steps to creating a Gender Transformation - P8

AFRICA CAN ACHIEVE MUCH MORE BY EMPOWERING - P24 1

Developing strong future leaders

For us it’s not about numbers, it’s about having a compelling story to tell, based on our transformation and diversity successes. It’s about making a difference where we can, and driving change in our industry. It’s about celebrating the contribution of our female staff to our business – over half of our staff are females, and most of them are under the age of 35. It’s about the fact that 93% of our female candidates qualiﬁed as CAs last year – giving these young people opportunities, and developing future leaders of our ﬁrm, and business leaders of our country. It’s about fostering an environment where every one of our people has an opportunity to succeed and reach their potential. It’s about achieving our purpose of building trust in society and solving important problems, one step at a time. #OpportunityAfrica www.pwc.co.za @pwc_za PwC South Africa

FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to the publication of the Gender Mainstreaming E Zine. It is pleasing to see that in this edition we have contributions from companies that are contributing for the first time. This is to be welcomed as it adds to the general pool of knowledge that we can all draw from. The contact details of the contributors are always given at the end of an article. We encourage you to contact the authors should you have anything to share, congratulate them for a good piece of work or even engage with them. All we ask is that any comments remain positive. It is far too easy for negativity to take charge, and that more often than not takes us backwards and not in the direction that we wish to be moving in.

Colleen Larsen

CE Business Engage colleen@businessengage.co.za 084-353-9865 www.businessengage.co.za www.30percentclub.org www.genderawards.co.za

If you are reading this E Zine for the first time and feel that you would like to contribute, then please feel free to do so. You need to be writing on behalf of a well-established company to do so. There are many positive reasons to believe that we are at the start of a “tipping point” when it comes to Gender Mainstreaming, both globally and in South Africa. More and more we are hearing the stories about the successes, and challenges, that companies are achieving in gender diversity. There is also a clear breaking down of the silo’s that have previously kept companies from sharing information outside of their employee base or close circle of stakeholders. To all the entrants in the awards for 2016 Gender Mainstreaming Awards, well done to all of you and thank you for all the effort that you collective put into Gender Mainstreaming. As I say every year, to those of you that have not yet entered, or who have clients who have to yet entered, next year is a good time to start. Visit www.genderawards.co.za.

Index :

- Sun International - Women in Leadership - 5 Simple Steps to Creating a Gender Transformation - The Extent of Regulation on Gender Diversity Boards - Growing the Ranks of Leaders in South African Law Firms - Developing Your Career in a Difficult Economic Year - African Can achieve Much More By Empowering Its Women - Sleep Your Way To The Top - Women Can Transform The Boardroom - Does Anybody Really Make Objective Decisions? - Cherrie Blair Foundation - The Power Of Mentoring - Dell’s Commitment To Empowering The Youth Of Today - Digital Fluency Can Help Close The Gender Gap Faster In South Africa - Disabled Women Creating Visibility Of Disabled Girls And Women

4-7 8-10 12-15 16-19 20-23 24-26 28-29 30-33 34-37 38-41 44-47 48-51 52-55

SUN INTERNATIONAL :

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP The gaming industry has for many decades been considered a traditionally male-dominated environment, but Sun International has ensured that a commitment to gender equity is pursued throughout the Group. This has seen the appointment of women in senior management positions at all of its hotel and gaming properties, and at Head Office. Chantel Reddiar, Director: Corporate Services and Legal, has been with Sun International for 12 years. She’s seen how innovation in business has allowed talented people to flourish and grow, irrespective of their gender, and she said Sun International has endeavoured to entrench gender equality. “Sun has been truly committed to gender advancement and their overriding criterion is merit-based advancement with the acknowledgement that gender balance is a consideration.” Chantel speaks from considerable experience, as she has “never repeated a year of doing the same thing” during her more than a decade with the Group. Traditionally the gaming industry has been male dominated and it is with conscious commitment that we advance the promotion of women in the organisation. We have female leaders in many domains of our business, at central level but also as general managers at our properties. We continue to drive women empowerment with a commitment from our top leadership.” Yasheen Sookdeo, General Manager for Windmill Casino and Naledi Sun, started out at Sun International 19 years ago as a guest relations officer. During this time, she has held various positions from promotions jockey to bingo caller. “It has been an 4

incredible journey. The opportunities and exposure have been endless, coupled with passion, determination and hard work from my side,” she said. Many of these opportunities were created by Sun International’s approach to advancing women in management roles. “Women are involved on a strategic level, as well as operationally,” she said. But she added that unfortunately in many cases in South Africa, gender representation was being done just to tick the regulatory boxes. “I think businesses realise the importance of gender representation but I am not convinced that all businesses are proactive in assessing women’s contribution.” Yasheen says women offer an alternative approach to leadership; an approach that would complement the leadership style of their male counterparts. “Different leaders have different leadership skills and together, with greater gender representation, we create the platform for diverse views and contributions, and different perspectives on business matters.” This was underscored by Chantel who said that women at Sun International brought a unique dynamic to the workplace. “It is exceptionally rewarding to be part of a team that recognises your intellect, irrespective of gender.” Annemie Turk, General Manager Carnival City, started her career in the gaming industry at the Carousel Casino shortly after it opened in 1991. She said things were very different when she first joined the Group. “Sun International was the only gaming company in the country, with no gaming legislation, so it was entirely self-regulated.”But despite operating in this environment, Annemie said she never felt discriminated against because of her gender. “Sun International is an incredible company to work for as it is truly gender neutral. Although there were very few females working in the slots industry in 1991, I have never been treated any differently or not afforded opportunities, because of my gender.” She said women make an equal contribution to Sun International’s business, at all levels. 5

Verna Robson, Sun International’s Director: Group Human Resources, said the organisation has allowed her to “pursue my passion unhindered and allowed creative thinking and creative experimentation”. She said: “The women within Sun International contribute towards challenging the standard operational practices traditionally applied in a gaming environment. They are committed and similarly contribute with creativity to projects and initiatives that drive many of the external campaigns that add to the bottom line.” Mokgadi Ramogale, Sun International’s Group Financial Manager, started studying a B.Com but switched to a career in chartered accounting after an encounter with Deloittes. She said her mentor of seven years at the firm was a “strong woman” who showed her that women can fulfil any role within a company. While Mokgadi considered Sun International to be “generally gender neutral”, she felt that the company was still maledominated although, she did welcome the active involvement of women in all areas of the Group’s business. “There are a number of women who also act as mentors to their staff irrespective of gender; and it is good to see women being the strong leaders.” Family support has been integral for Sun’s women in leadership positions. Chantel said her husband opted to be the primary caregiver so that she could pursue her career. “My family has been my mainstay support – none of my achievements was a solo effort as I was blessed to be surrounded by a support system that allowed me to maximise each opportunity.” Both Yasheen and Mokgadi said their husbands and family were incredibly supportive of their careers. “As a career-orientated female, and if married, the support of your spouse and family is crucial to your success,” added Verna. While the wider corporate environment in South Africa may have evolved to encourage more gender neutrality, Yasheen says women 6

still find themselves having to fit into male-created structures. “I am not convinced that there is much being done around a business structure that lends itself to an all-encompassing progressive and inclusive model.” Chantel said there was still a tendency to engage in the “same age-old debates over women empowerment while there are imbalances to be addressed”. Instead of paying lip service to gender neutrality, companies needed to “action their good intentions and get on with it”. Verna said gender balanced companies were those that are aware of and committed to their transformational agendas. She said this approach was evident at Sun International, where the Group was “gender neutral by design” with a commitment to gender equality by the senior leadership.

Contact : Zoleka Skweyiya 011 780 7280 zoleka.sweyiya@suninternational.com www.suninternational.com

Yasheen Sookdeo

Chantel Reddiar

Verna Robson

Mokgadi Ramogale

5 Simple steps to creating a Gender Transformation Gender programs are many and varied and, although we are definitely leaps ahead of the bra-burning 70’s, we still have work to do in creating sustainable cultural change in the space of women at work. Here are the 5 Simple Steps I believe can get you to a meaningful cultural transformation.

that 3pm slump hits and the vending machine choccies are luring you closer with promises of joy and comfort and everlasting fulfillment, how easy is it to keep the sugar at bay? You get the point.

In creating the necessary cultural change for gender equality we can Before I get into the details a small apply 5 simple (but not easy) steps: spoiler alert is necessary…simple does not mean easy. In many cases simple Step 1: Believe in possibility. means quite the opposite of easy. If you believe that cultural change is an imperative, and if you know that you You need to lose weight? (Don’t we need to create impact in the gender all?) The solution is simple…quit sugar, equality space; then believe that you kill the complex carbs, eat small meals can change your world – and then you and exercise at least 3-4 times a week will. A person who believes deeply is – you see it’s simple! But we all know infectious, the stronger your belief, it’s not easy! When that winter alarm the more infectious your ideas and the clock goes at 5am for your run how more profound the impact you can easy is it to drag yourself, your internal make. Cultural shifts always begin with maniac kicking and screaming, from a great idea and a great passion, if you the delicious, cosy warm cocoon you have the idea or passion, trust that you feel eternally locked within? Or when can make it happen. Note to self: If you 8

were able to believe in Santa Claus for powerful as an individual, but as a small like 8 years, you can believe in yourself team the impact can be exponentially for like 5 minutes, okay you got this! improved.

Step 2: Build a team that believes with you.

There is something magical in the power of a pack. “For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.”― Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book. Once you begin the gender conversation, you will realise the overwhelming number of others who believe that cultural change is an imperative and who are looking for a place to make a difference. According to Wikipedia: “minority influence, a form of social influence, takes place when a member of a minority group, like an individual, influences a majority to accept the minority’s beliefs or behaviour. This occurs when a small group or an individual acts as an agent of social change by questioning established societal perceptions, and proposing alternative, original ideas which oppose the existing social norms. Unlike other forms of influence, minority influence is often thought of as a more innovative form of social change, because it usually involves a personal shift in private opinion. Without influential minorities challenging the majority view, there would be no new ideas or positive change in society. Examples of this are the Civil Rights movement in America and the suffragettes campaigning for votes for women.” Influence can be

Step 3: #Jointheconversation

Conversations create movement, they create awareness, they create a language. The simple act of conversation creates the butterfly effect; this minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. Not only does conversation give permission for people to join the movement for change, it gives permission for them to use their voices and create the impetus necessary for sustainability of a movement. The louder the voices, the more energy is created around the topic and thus the more sustainable the change can be.

Step 4: Feedback is your friend

As a leader of cultural change you really need to know who you are leading – Sam Nunn reminds us: “if you think you are a leader, and look over your shoulder and there ain’t nobody following you, man you’re just taking a walk.” To create sustainable cultural change, you need to test your thinking – widely, and repeatedly and again! Feedback is a powerful tool in honing the conversation you need to have and the language that will be appropriate for your organisation. You’ve probably heard the rule of mathematics: If it feels easy, you are doing it wrong. In the rest of life, if it feels too difficult you are doing it wrong, especially 9

when it comes to creating influence. Each organisation will require its own language and its own solutions. If it feels too difficult, get feedback and tweak the strategy until it begins to feel right for you.

Step 5: Aha moments

To create sustainable change you need a clear and concise plan with buy in from senior influencers. Steps 1-4 will get you to a clear plan that is appropriate for your organisation. Getting buy in from senior influencers often requires an “aha” moment, that point where they realise “this current reality is not the future I wish for my daughter, my sister, my wife, my legacy”. Influencer buy in may take time, but without it cultural change will be slow. Take time to walk in the shoes of those making the decisions, to understand their motivations and act as an agent of social change by assisting them to question their own perceptions and discover their own motivation for becoming an agent for this change.

Keep on keeping on

the wolf, get into conversation, seek feedback and create aha moments. I said at the outset that these simple steps may not be easy. So how do you start? It’s a simple case of ready, steady, GO! Just like quitting sugar, if you know your end goal and the reason you need to achieve it, you can access the power within you and then just start. Drag off those warm winter covers, say no to the vending machine and take the first step. The beginning may not be easy, but once you’re on the road it feels pretty great, and the satisfaction as you see the change happen is well worth the effort. LIESL BEBB-MCKAY : RMB Liesl Bebb-McKay is head of Innovation & Disruption for Global Markets at RMB, she is also part of the team tasked with delivering RMB’s gender equality program “Athena”.

Margaret Thatcher said that “you may have to fight a battle more than once to win it”. There will be failures and mistakes and difficult conversations but each of these acts as opportunity to adjust the strategy and to refocus on the end goal. In these moments remember the steps: believe in possibility, the pack is bigger than Contact : Liesl.Bebb-Mckay@rmb.co.za 10

The 30% Club is a group of Chairmen, CEOs and Senior Partners voluntarily committed to bringing more women onto corporate boards because it makes business sense. Increasing board diversity is key to driving profitable growth. Having better balance - at least 30% senior female leaders - positively influences both a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture and the decision-making process. www.30percentclub.org

THE EXTENT OF REGULATION ON GENDER DIVERSITY ON BOARDS THE EXTENT OF REGULATION ON GENDER DIVERSITY ON BOARDS Gender diversity on boards as well as the assessments of boards’ efficacy are becoming legal requirements or at the very least are increasingly recognised as a “best practice behaviour” to be done on a regular basis. These assessments are usually run internally, or increasingly through independent 3rd party experts. Although women are generally underrepresented on boards, numbers have increased globally over the past several years. Delving into different territories will allow us understand this landscape further and indicate how the issue is being dealt with in various contexts. In South Africa, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (“BBBEE”) Act, passed in 2003 and revised in 2013, provides a door to the inclusion of women in corporate leadership. Points are given to companies with black directors and extra for black female directors. At the senior management level, the revised Act sets a compliance target at 60% black and 30% black female. Despite revision of the Act, research indicates that by 2014 women held less than four percent of CEO positions in JSE listed companies. However, PwC’s 2014 report states that South Africa’s mining industry had ranked at the top for gender diversity in the boardroom; with 21.05% women sitting on the boards of South Africa’s top 100 listed mining companies. These numbers will differ depending on industries but the mining sector seems to be closer to the target than others. All South African businesses have to comply with the King 3 Governance Code, which states that boards 13

regularly assess effectiveness of board size and diversityâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; qualification, experience, technical expertise, nationality, race, gender, industry knowledge. Although not legislative, the King 3 governance code states that boards perform annual evaluations. By legislation, companies in India must now have at least one-third of the Board as independent directors and according to the Companies Act, 2013, at least one female director is mandatory for public and private firms with an annual turnover of at least three billion rupees (approximately US$50 million). The Board of every listed company and other public companies with paid-up capital of US$ 4 million and above shall report the annual performance evaluation of individual directors, the Board and its committees. Canadian boards aspire to have 30% female representation over the next 5 years, with board assessments set as a regulatory requirement. These annual board assessments can be self-assessments or conducted by an independent 3rd party expert. While in the USA, there are currently no Acts or Codes regulating women on boards, however these compliance codes are being discussed. Likewise Board assessments are not a legal requirement, but many boards undertake the assessments on an annual basis. In Europe, Belgium passed a law requiring 33% female directorship by 2018. Failure to comply with these schedules will result in voided nominations and suspended remuneration of board members. Board assessments in Belgium are not a legal requirement, but growing as an accepted practice. French companies are legally required to have women on boards, with a target of 40% by 2017. In 2014, 20% representation was achieved. Since 1995, board assessments have been a strong recommendation of the French corporate governance code and increasingly scrutinised by independent authorities like The High Committee for Corporate Governance and the AMF (AutoritĂŠ des MarchĂŠs Financiers; similar to the American Securities Exchange Commission). Now, almost 100% of the Top 40 listed groups on Paris stock exchange are implementing board assessments. In the UK, there are no specific acts or codes mandating women on boards, but there are a number of campaigns and lobbying groups to encourage 14

companies to have more women on their boards. In October 2015, Lord Mervyn Davies’ ‘Women on Boards Davies Review Five Year Summary’ announced that the UK had met its 25% target in FTSE100 companies.

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Growing the ranks of women leaders in South African law firms Today, there are more women law school graduates in South Africa than men. Women are also very well represented at the junior levels at most South African law firms. At my own firm, for instance, 56% of our legal services staff are female. However, the numbers start to decline at the more senior levels - particularly in the equity partner ranks (at Webber Wentzel, for instance, a lower percentage of 35% of all equity partners are women, although this is well above the global industry average of 22% and even further above the rather concerning South African industry average of 13%.). Some of this decline is the result of a historical time lag, bearing in mind that equity partnership is the final rung in the career 16

There are, though, even fewer women in law firm leadership positions in this country and I am often asked what can be done to change this - not only by the law firms themselves, but also by the young women who are coming up the ranks and who have an interest in law firm leadership. I suggest below some strategies that can be employed in this regard. From the law firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective, firstly and rather obviously, as women in leadership positions are usually drawn from fairly senior ranks, it is critical to retain your female talent. A lot of this depends on the ability to offer women a flexible and supportive working environment during the years when they are having children, but the need for flexibility and support extends far beyond these years. It is hard enough to balance the demands of a busy corporate legal practice with family life, let alone when you add the additional commitments of a leadership role to the mix. Secondly, it is important to be deliberate about building the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pipeline of female talent for these roles. This feeds into the broader issue of succession. At any time, a firm should be thinking about where its future leadership will be coming from, and taking steps to ensure that these potential leaders are being given the right opportunities to develop their experience and showcase their abilities. Many years ago, for instance, a decision was taken to create reserved positions for women on the Webber Wentzel board. The need for this disappeared a few short years later when women began making themselves available for this role, and being elected to board seats on their own merit. Law firms need to keep a constant look out for female leadership talent they will often not be the ones who are pushing themselves forward.

The third key and related strategy that a law firm needs to focus on is the creation of role models. This is important for challenging the unconscious perception and expectation of what a law firm leader looks like. The more young women see working examples of other women in these roles, the more likely they are to consider them as viable career options for themselves. It is also critical that the senior women in these roles are vocal and visible and are given the opportunity 17

to build their profiles. Many women lawyers of my generation may not feel that they ever had a female role model in the workplace. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t - when I joined Webber Wentzel, we only had 4 women partners, none of whom worked in my area of practice. If we are going to transform law firms, we really need to build critical mass. Once you reach a tipping point (usually around the 30% mark), a shift takes place and everything changes. From the perspective of a young female lawyer who is looking to play a leadership role in her firm, my top suggested strategy would be for her to focus on building her experience and track record as early as possible - for example, by sitting on committees or taking on a practice leader role. My own personal experience may be useful here. I started articles at Webber Wentzel in 1995 and between 1998 and 2005 I worked on a part-time basis while I had three children. On my return from my final period of maternity leave, I made a conscious decision that I wanted to play more of a role in shaping the future of the firm and began participating in various management roles from 2005 (such as sitting on the talent management committee and the transformation committee). In 2010 I formed and headed up my own practice group, became co-head of private equity, was appointed to the board and elected onto the equity partner remuneration committee. In 2014 I was asked to stand for the managing partner position and was elected to that position with effect from 1 March 2015. Although nothing could quite have prepared me for this role, my experience in all my other management roles certainly played an invaluable part in helping me build my skillset and in developing my track record. Secondly, make it known that you have an interest in participating in a leadership role. Sometimes, whether due to unconscious bias or otherwise, people tend to make assumptions regarding who would be prepared to take on extra responsibilities without actually speaking to the individual concerned. Thirdly, be prepared to take a risk and get out of your comfort zone. I have previously spoken about my observation that women (particularly women lawyers) are sometimes reluctant to take on a challenge until they feel 100% ready and equipped to master it perfectly. You need to be prepared to back yourself - and as women we should be constantly encouraging one another to do so. I have observed really smart women consistently deferring to men and stepping out of the way; smart women who are reluctant to speak up and voice their opinions; smart women who play down their achievements. We need to break these habits.

There is no doubt that law firms benefit from having more women in leadership positions. The strategic agenda is shaped by who is in the room, and having women at the table at my firm over the years has undoubtedly influenced the decisions we have made. At Webber Wentzel, our leadership statistics are looking good: 42% of our board members are women, 50% of our Excom, 40% of our Business Units heads (including our head of Corporate and head of Tax - positions historically occupied by men), 35% of our practice leaders and 44% of our Business Services heads of department (including our female CFO). Our target though is to get to 50% of both our equity partnership and our leadership positions - not as a compliance exercise but because we know from experience that diverse teams make better leadership decisions. From a personal perspective, as much as I love my private equity mergers and acquisition practice, my leadership role gives me the opportunity to effect change and the platform to make a difference, which is enormously challenging and satisfying. I would encourage young women in the profession to open themselves up to this opportunity. Sally Hutton This article first appeared in the May edition of Without Prejudice.

Contact : Mandy Stobart mandy.stobart@webberwentzel.com www.webberwentzel.com 0115305424 19

Developing your career in a difficult economic year During times of slow economic growth, there is increased competition for jobs, as new workers enter the job market every year, but available work does not grow at the same rate. Despite this, times of slow growth present ample careerbuilding opportunities for those with the courage and foresight to take them. Manpower South Africa’s Managing Director, Lyndy van den Barselaar, provides insights into building a career path in difficult economic times. There is no doubt that the world is currently undergoing economic strain, with the World Bank GDP growth projection for 2016 at only 0.8%, the lowest since 2009. “The first step towards career building in tough economic times is recognizing the economic cycle and taking the correct career steps. During economic boom times, career building can be surprisingly easy – new positions are created, people progress up the corporate ladder and usually get on-thejob training for their new responsibilities,” explains van den Barselaar. In downturns, promotions happen less frequently, and training budgets are cut. In this environment, the career-minded individual can get ahead of the pack by taking proactive steps. “During difficult economic times, we see a reduction in people looking to change employment due to two reasons,” she explains. “Firstly, their current jobs become more demanding as companies shed jobs, leaving them too drained to embark on a new career path. Secondly, they value job security in an uncertain environment and hang on to their current jobs. “Economic downturns provide a good opportunity to re-evaluate one’s career paths, as it clearly shows which industries are under pressure and might remain under pressure for a while. In addition, the rate of technological advances means that many new careers are created that did not exist before. Employees and job seekers should project into the future as far as possible and gauge whether their jobs will still be around in a few years.” If job seekers find that their industries are under threat, they can start acquiring new skills to make a transition to another career. Because of the rate of technological change, the days of having to work at the same job for decades 20

There is no doubt that the world is currently undergoing economic strain, with the World Bank GDP growth projection for 2016 at only 0.8%, the lowest since 2009.

to be considered experienced are gone. “The modern business environment is constantly evolving, and this means that those employees or job seekers who take the time to constantly upskill, will be at an advantage when looking to advance in their career path,” explains van den Barselaar. Perception is also important when looking for a new career. It is therefore a good time to update one’s CV and ensure that it catches the eye of a prospective employer. Successful job seekers know their key strengths, and they make sure their prospective employers are aware of them as well. Therefore, if you are targeting a particular job, think of everything you have achieved in your career that could be an asset to a new employer and be sure to mention it in your CV and/or covering letter. “You could also look at adding other impressive skills to your CV that could set you apart,” advises Van den Barselaar. “If you learn another language, you could impress multinational companies who require employees with multiple language abilities. “There are many short courses available to add skills to your résumé, and many are not prohibitively expensive. In addition to languages, you could study project management or coding, which would be of great help in a variety of career fields. In fact, in today’s environment, upskilling in computer literacy should be a lifelong endeavour for any career-minded individual.” Individuals who are not able to afford additional training, or simply do not have the time, can attempt different channels, such as displaying ambition and urging their employer to send them on career-building courses. You might be able to identify needs or shortages in your own company, and convince your employer that training will help you to address those. There are also free online courses available that can coach individuals in a certain discipline, which allows them to write an exam for a qualification once they have mastered the skill. Manpower PowerYOU, for example, is available free of charge to all Manpower staff and associates. The online training platform provides access to thousands of online courses, to ensure users are able to update and increase their skills, in order to stay successful in today’s competitive work environment. Another career building strategy in a challenging economy is to focus on employment in growth industries. This can be done regardless of your qualifications. For instance, if you studied bookkeeping, you could apply for an accounting position in the mining sector, if that proves to be a current growth industry.

“According to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world, the Electricity, Gas &amp; Water Supply sector is expected to grow the most in the second quarter of 2016, making it lucrative for jobseekers,” says Van den Barselaar. “Other sectors to keep an eye on are Finance, Insurance, Real Estate &amp; Business Services; Restaurants &amp; Hotels; and Construction.” The power of networking should also not be underestimated. “Companies have become wary of employing the wrong person, as this can be a costly mistake,” says Van den Barselaar. “Therefore, just having a positive interview is no longer good enough. Employers are looking for references from people they can trust. Therefore, the more relationships you can build with people in the industry, the more people you have who can put in a word for you and vouch for you personally. Go through your stack of business cards that is gathering dust in a drawer. If someone can help your career development, give them a call. It could also be helpful to build strong online networks through LinkedIn. If employers can see that you are part of a successful network, it would reflect positively on you, and a comprehensive and up to date LinkedIn profile can be a positive resource. “In a thriving economy, people are often promoted simply for doing a decent job. This leads them to believe that they are managing their careers well. However, during a downturn, career management has to be an active undertaking. There are two benefits to this. Once the downturn ends, you are able to find employment much easier than your peers. In addition, favourable conditions may mean that new positions are created in your current place of work, where you will enjoy an advantage above your peers. Active management of your career path will give you a greater chance of achieving your goals, no matter the economic conditions,” concludes Van den Barselaar.

Contact : Vesna Toprek

Vesna.Toprek@manpower.co.za 011 465 6020 www.manpower.co.za 23

AFRICA CAN ACHIEVE MUCH MORE BY EMPOWERING ITS WOMEN Zeona Jacobs, Director for Marketing and Corporate Affairs, JSE

Attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa in Rwanda in May this year was truly inspiring from an African perspective, firstly because of the progress that country has made. While they may still have challenges, as we all do, it is amazing to see how far this country had come from having had one of the bloodiest genocides in history, which started in the same month as South Africa became a democracy. The visible transformation Rwanda has undergone is a very positive story for the continent and we can learn a few lessons from this region. Rwanda has rebuilt its country and is today one of the continent’s leaders in development. One of the areas the country invested in significantly is that of education. The WEF Competitiveness Report ranks Rwanda’s quality of education as 45th in the world – one of the best ranked in Africa. Sadly, this is the one area that many other countries on the continent – South Africa being one of the bigger culprits here – fares most poorly. Graça Machel, the wife of late president Nelson Mandela, told this year’s WEF Africa meeting that poor education is resulting in the marginalisation of 52% of the continent, most of them women. If we are to improve this, we can no longer carry on educating people in the same way as we did 50 years ago. Our continent has become a lot more connected, and we must use the technology available to us to reach people better. Significant parts of the continent already rely on women for economic growth in areas such as agriculture, informal vendors, and education. Yet, there is so much more potential to be unlocked if more effort is put into the empowerment of women and if we can reduce the formalised marginalisation of women that is present in so many countries. Contact : Pheliswa Mayekiso pheliswam@jse.co.za; 011 520 7494; www.jse.co.za

Despite all its development in other areas, South Africa also has a long way to go in developing our society – the quality of our education system is ranked 138th in the WEF Competitiveness survey. Clearly we are not doing enough to provide skills where they are needed most. At the JSE, we are serious about achieving gender equality in society, and we believe empowering women to be financially literate is imperative to this. All of our corporate social investment involvement is motivated by education and investing in society’s most vulnerable to enable them to achieve financial independence. One of the initiatives we support is the Buffelshoek Trust – an organisation focused on upliftment through education in a number of villages. Here, women play a key role in projects aimed at providing food and water security, and are taught essential business skills to make them independent. The JSE also hosts an annual investment challenge that is open to the public. In this way, we encourage people to learn more about investments by seeing how they can grow R1 million’s worth of virtual currency in three months. We believe this is a highly efficient way of teaching people about the financial world and how accessible it really is.

If we manage to make meaningful progress in education and women development, it would go a long way towards improving the economic prospects of our citizens, and enable them to participate in growth.

Get rewarded for your Gender Diversity Initiatives... ENTER NOW, there is no charge to enter

The 5th Gender Mainstreaming Awards 7 September 2017 : Vodacom Dome, Midrand www.genderawards.co.za

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Open to all private sector companies and government departments that have started, on the road with or succeeded in gender diversity programmes Closing date for entries : 19 June 2017; E-mail : Colleen@businessengage.co.za

An initiative of

In association with

SLEEP YOUR WAY TO THE TOP At this time of year people are complaining about how tired they are. One of the biggest reasons we’re so tired is we’re not getting enough sleep. Research says 92% of us need 7-8 hours of sleep a night and only 30% of us are getting anywhere near that. There are lots of reasons for this, but before I go into these I think we need to break the belief system around “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” or “I’m too busy to get 7 hours of sleep.” Until we buy into the notion that sleep is a secret of high achievers and when we are sleep deprived, we compromise our performance- period- then we are destined to stay exhausted. I know my magic number is 7 hours- if I get more or less than that I’m cranky. Sleep is a quality and a quantity game. I meet many delegates who may be getting 7-8 hours but they wake up often and are not spending enough time in their REM sleep state. I encourage people to gather data- use a Fitbit, Jawbone or there are many apps that analyse time spent in your REM sleep. Your REM sleep time is the magic number that determines whether you leap out of bed feeling rested and ready to deal with the day, or you drag yourself out of bed having pushed the snooze button numerous times.

HELEN NICHOLSON : THE NETWORKING COMPANY 28

One of the reasons people are battling to go to sleep is we are using our devices ie. laptops, Iphones or TVs right up until the moment we want to go to sleep. We then send our brain mixed messages- the LED light on our screens is sending the melatonin in your brain a message to wake up and yet we want to sleep. It’s estimated we should close down all devices an hour before you go to bed, to give your body a “cooling off” period to get into a sleep-ready state. There is a reason the United Nations determined sleep deprivation as a torture method- in the current economic climate we can’t afford to willingly compromise our performance. We need to be on the ball and sparkling having had our 7/8 hours of sleep. For details of the Mindful leader workshops go to : www.mindfulleader.co.za.

WOMEN CAN TRANSFORM THE BOARDROOM – BETTER THAN MEN

While the South African workplace has evolved over the years - with a strong focus on racial and gender equality - plans to empower women to take up leadership positions have made little impact and still, less than 4% of JSE-listed companies have female CEOs. This is a global trend with a number of countries now undertaking to make female inclusion, in terms of board representation, compulsory. Women have proven to be effective leaders, especially when it comes to managing large groups of employees with differing personalities and needs. Research by COO of Zenger Folkman, Bob Sherwin, which looked into women’s leadership effectiveness found that women outperform their male counterparts invariable when it came to a number of vital workplace competencies including taking more initiative, displaying higher levels of integrity and honesty and building relationships – to name a few. This said, it is clear that promoting more women into leadership positions will aid companies achieving sustainable success. Living examples of the powerful brand of leadership women possess include Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett-Packard; Ellen Sirleaf, the former President of Liberia; Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany; and Hillary Clinton, a former first lady and current candidate in the American presidential elections. As the CEO of a leading white collar staffing organisation in South Africa, Quest Staffing Solutions, I constantly find myself in male dominated contexts but this has never held me back from working towards my goals. Reasons why only a few women advance to the C-suite (grouping of chief executives) are often linked to feeling as though they ‘can’t have it all’ and 30

Kay Vittee - Quest Staffing Solutions

prioritising their family responsibilities over growing their careers. Many women simply do not believe that they have what it takes to thrive in a senior position. This is a direct result of their socialisation and being told that leadership positions are not necessarily a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Organisational culture therefore plays a pivotal role in shifting the attitudes of female staff. On the contrary to what they may believe, numerous studies have found that women are the better leaders than their male counterparts. Of particular interest, an article by Wits Business School graduates explained that companies with more women board directors outperformed those with the least by 53%. While women earned approximately 34% less than men in the same job in 2015, based on research by the World Bank, female leaders have been found to be more effective when it comes to developing their employees. Harvard Business Review also found that female leaders were rated higher by their peers, bosses and direct reports than their male counterparts.

This may be linked to their leadership traits such as that of compassion which was highlighted as one of the leadership traits that matter most in a recent Pew Research Centre study. 65% of respondents added that they find women to be more compassionate than men. It comes down to the fact that women are wired differently - this is simple genetics - and this is to our advantage. A number of psychologists have been able to explain it quite well, noting that, when women make decisions, we tend to weigh more variables, consider more options, and see a wider array of possible solutions to a problem. Women tend to generalise and synthesise and have a broader, more holistic and more contextual perspective of an issue at hand. Ultimately, this means that women often take a more strategic approach to solving problems and never leave out the ‘big picture’. A nineteenth-century poet Matthew Arnold, once said: “If ever the world sees a time when women shall come together purely and simply for the benefit and good of mankind, it will be a power such as the world has never known.” He believed that women can change the world for the better – and so do I. The female talent pool is growing and is becoming an increasingly important demographic in the country, contributing greatly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We are definitely capable of taking hold of our boardrooms and being principal decision makers in both business and the country as a whole.

MY TIPS FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO STRIVE IN BUSINESS: BE CONFIDENT: Women are hard workers, they need to develop their capability and explore more within their field of work. Women must convey confidence and when they speak, speak with conviction. It is important that they believe in their leadership skills and not doubt themselves. One also needs to distinguish between confidence and arrogance and not cross that line. ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS: Young women should enlist mentors and ask for feedback on leadership techniques from their senior management. Seeing women in particular, anywhere in the world, succeeding in an ever increasing number of roles helps inspire young women to raise their expectation for their own futures. An obstacle for many South African women is that, sadly, there is a shortage of female role models in the country and a lack of exposure for those who do exist. 32

BE AMBITIOUS AND DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TAKE RISKS: Diversity is great for business and in South Africa, management is now a profession where women are filling a substantial share of positions. Women shouldn’t fear to explore and reach their full potential. IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS: As a leader you need to be on the same page as the rest of your team, it’s always wise to work on your communication skills. This will make you an even better leader. STAND YOUR GROUND AND LET YOUR STRENGTHS SHINE: It is imperative that women in leadership maintain their core style, at the same time not being afraid to stand their ground when they know they have to lead the organisation in a certain direction

CONTACT : ANN WILLIAMS 011 628 0300 annew@quest.co.za www.quest.co.za 33

Does anybody really make objective decisions?

Do you think you do? Most people are adamant that they do, but I am becoming more and more aware of the influences that move me in particular directions, and am working to be more structured in approaching final decisions.

Any decision? It constantly amazes me how many people honestly believe that any decision is better than none, and that changing your mind is a sign of indecisiveness and weakness. Frequently, decisions are made based on the current information at hand, and when more detail becomes available, people believe it is too late to change direction. Sometimes it is, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it, once a rocket has launched, new information canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bring it back. But there are many, many times when a decision is manipulated by interested parties, and the final decision maker believes that he will look weak if he goes back on his word, in spite of knowing that an alternative might very well be a better option. 34

Objective decision making should be a daily business objective. Not always attainable, but always top of mind.

Confirmation bias Without getting too deep into the psychology side, reading about confirmation bias has made me work harder on my objectivity and try to recognise my prejudices and subjectivity when making decisions. These range from hiring employees, and purchasing (or personal shopping, much as I would prefer to just buy without analysing my motives) to dealing with bad debt and sales negotiations.

The 4 Card Test Peter Wason coined the term confirmation bias and developed the 4 Card Test which indicated that most people will select the information that confirms their belief rather than the information which could contradict it. When making objective decisions it is therefore critical to look at the issue from all angles, and get input from people who might have a different set of values and decision making criteria

Success and Failure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; predestined in our heads A major blow to objectivity is that we believe that success breeds success, and failure therefore has to breed failure. And we look to confirm this prejudice which can set people and projects up for failure before they even start. However, when we study some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful people, they have risen from failure over and over. Abraham Lincoln is a great case study for this. Of course, we have to learn from history, and we need to address reasons for failure, but we should never assume the continuity of failure. We often learn more from the things that go wrong than from the things that go right. However, when making decisions, we regularly assume that if something went right, the underlying processes must have been correct. Confirmation bias has kicked in, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we want to believe. 36

Making objective Decisions They require a calm, cool, analytical approach and should include: • Gathering as much information as is possible • Analysing the information • Confirming whether any of the decision makers have skin in the game ie will they benefit personally from the decision? • Weighing up the alternative options • Selecting a path and then • Communicating the decision and the reasons behind it, so that all the stakeholders are on board. • Developing a contingency plan if the decision turns out to be less than ideal. If possible, there should always be a Plan B, not to be a fence sitter, but for deeply practical reasons. Written by: Teryl Schroenn Accsys CEO

Peter Wason - https://www.socialpsychology.org/teach/wason.htm “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas A. Edison

Contact : Clara Nomnick

011 719 8000 cnomnick@accsys.co.za www.accsys.co.za 37

CHERIE BLAIR FOUNDATION

The Power of Mentoring

All Putri needed to connect with her mentor, Philippe, was an internet connection. Each month Putri, a home-based tailor from Kuala Lumpur, would meet online with Philippe, a university professor from Lebanon, to work on strengthening her financial planning and marketing skills. Like the other women in our Mentoring Women in Business Programme, Putri spent 12 months working one-on-one with her mentor. Within that time, she experienced huge growth.

“Phillipe has been my pillar and voice of encouragement in continuing my dream,” she says. “Since I started working with him, my ability to build relationships with potential clients has improved as he helped me to develop my communication skills and build my confidence. My business has now grown from less than five clients to more than 30, many of whom are regular customers. As a result, I went from making a small profit on individual orders to having a regular income stream, increasing my revenue by 86%.” Many women entrepreneurs in developing and emerging economies have the ideas and ambition to become successful entrepreneurs but are

held back by barriers such as lack of access to business skills, technology, networks, finance or even confidence. The Mentoring Women in Business programme provides an innovative solution to this challenge, by combining technology with mentoring. To date, the programme has supported over 1,800 women entrepreneurs in more than 80 countries to build life-changing relationships with men and women mentors across thousands of miles. Despite never meeting in person, the pairs forge close relationships which enable the women to access critical support, take their skills and confidence to new heights and, very often, gain a friend for life. Of mentees to graduate from the programme in our last financial year, 98% were able to realise key business achievements due to their mentorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support, 97% developed their business skills. The programme also helped to boost the confidence of 95% of mentees, with 99% saying they would recommend it to others. Connecting women entrepreneurs with mentors is just one aspect of the programme. To supplement the one-on-one mentoring relationships, we have also developed a bespoke online platform that houses a vast range of resources which are available to all of our mentors and mentees, such as inspiring webinars on a wide range of business skills, and an online library of useful guides and tutorials. Our platform also houses a popular peer-to-peer online forum, which allows our global community of mentors and mentees to share information and expertise in a dynamic way. For instance, a mentee from Tanzania recently asked for advice on a presentation that she was due to make to a potential funder. Within a matter of hours, she had feedback from mentees and mentors from Kenya, Spain, Australia and many countries in between. Our Mentoring Women in Business Programme is supported by a wide range of dedicated partners who share our vision of a world where women are empowered to thrive. For instance, we are partnering with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to engage women under their Women in Business programme in mentoring, both as mentors and mentees in the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus 39

and Central Asia. Bank of America has been a long-standing supporter of the programme, providing mentors for over 200 women entrepreneurs in over 17 countries, from Algeria and Argentina to Cameroon and Colombia. In Malaysia, we have collaborated with Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™, Better World Wireless and Tune Talk to support 200 women working in industries ranging from home-based baking and photograph, to robotics and events management. And through our partnership with organisations like Business Engage, we have been able to reach more women entrepreneurs in South Africa. The mentors who take part in our programme feel an enormous sense of pride in helping women achieve personal and professional success – especially when they see their support having a real impact on their mentee’s entrepreneurial lives. One of our mentors, Carmen, told us, ‘Seeing someone else’s dream become reality changes you forever. You make friends for life through this experience.’

Mentoring is a powerful tool which plays vital role in international development and women’s empowerment. Supporting women entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential carries enormous benefits which extend beyond individuals to families, communities, and wider society.

To find out more about the Mentoring Women in Business Programme, and for more information on how to become a mentor, please contact Colleen Larsen : colleen@businessengage.co.za

To date, the programme has supported over 1,800 women entrepreneurs in more than 80 countries to build life-changing relationships with men and women mentors across thousands of miles.

Celebrating the women who make real changes in their communities Clover Mama Afrika – providing South African women with the expertise they need to help their Communities. Since 2004, Clover Mama Afrika has provided essential skills and equipment to hardworking, deserving women who serve communities in each of the nine provinces of South Africa. Affectionately known as ‘mamas’ these community leaders have collectively cared for over 15 500 children and 2 500 elderly since the project’s conception. Clover Mama Afrika, Clover’s corporate sustainability project, was started over 12 years ago by Clover’s Corporate Services Manager, Professor Elain Vlok. Prof Vlok started with a view to help the needy by helping those who are passionate about providing for and tending to the needs of their communities. “These mamas are carefully cherry-picked from destitute communities, ensuring the prospective members already have the urge and drive to assist those in need,” says Prof Vlok. “It’s not easy being a Clover Mama Afrika, while we provide these women with indispensable skills to better themselves, they need to continue to prove their worth each and every year,” she adds. This is because at the very heart of the project, is the principle of empowerment. Clover Mama Afrika is all about empowering these women with the expertise to perform better, help better and be better. The premise is to teach each woman important skills, so she can thereafter better care for and provide for those relying on her in the community. However the buck doesn’t stop there, these women then need to share their newly-found skills with others. “We marvel in ‘teaching someone to fish’ and allowing them to reap the benefits from their newfound skill. But it is a true blessing to witness that new ‘fisherwoman’ share their skills and show others to fish and that is the beauty of what 42

About Clover Mama Afrika

The Clover Mama Afrika project started as a humble project 12 years ago and has since developed into Cloverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship CSI programme. The project has to date appointed 42 Mamas throughout South Africa. These remarkable women collectively care for over 15 500 children and 2 500 elderly people, many of which are abused, orphaned, homeless and vulnerable. Clover Mama Afrika empowers these Mamas with vital skills such as: cooking, baking, sewing, crocheting, business management, food gardening and bread baking skills. Over and above the training sessions these women are all supplied with the necessary tools, equipment and infrastructure to create an income for themselves and give back to their communities. For more information on the Clover Mama Afrika project visit: www.clovermamaafrika.com

Dell’s commitment to empowering the youth of today

In April 2015, Dell South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) and the CSIR, announced their full participation in all elements of BBBEE with the establishment of an ICT academy named the Khulisa Training Academy which focuses on high end computing skills. The essence of the academy lies within the name Khulisa, meaning “nurturing” in isiZulu. The objectives of the Khulisa Academy which has been approved by the DTI as an economic program focuses on the following: • Active inclusion of previously disadvantaged individuals into mainstream economic activity • Skills transfer focusing on leading edge HPC and architecture technology • Infrastructure solutions that are cloud and big data based • Capitalising on the innovation within Dell around these major trends • Expanding skills sets to include entrepreneurial and life skills Providing gainful employment in the wider ICT space All of the above elements address the critical socio-economic challenges faced by the ICT industry today. Globally there is a lack of women within the IT industry, the intention of Khulisa Academy is to improve those numbers and currently 60 % of their students are women. Dell is committed to placing continued focus on promoting women in the industry by training black women from disadvantaged communities in High 44

Performance Computing. This will not only promote women in the IT industry but speaks directly to the scarce and critical skills in South Africa. “Our aim is to walk this journey with them and guide them along the way, to develop a long term and sustainable set of outcomes. The project will have a direct impact on the students as they will assist in solving unique business problems through the solutions centre, and will result in the birth of a number of new black professional IT businesses. We believe that we should give back to the community as a whole and thus the development of the academy,” says Natasha Reuben, Head of Transformation for Dell South Africa. The students receive a market related salary while studying, and will be assisted with employment thereafter. In addition, at least 10 students will be supported in the start-up of their own business after the completion of their studies. This ensures that the progress made in training continues afterwards in the hope of building careers for the participants of the project. The program is structured to support practical workplace experience, to offer students independence and a sustainable livelihood. “We believe that with the skills these individuals develop, they will be well positioned to carve out a very focused and profitable career or business. The proposed project has the ability to make a real difference for South Africa as it addresses an area that can have a significant impact on the economy, and on the lives of millions of South Africans. In addition it addresses an area in 45

which skills are clearly lacking but in which South Africa can definitely excel. We are committed to making a difference and want to lend our hand to enabling human potential,â&#x20AC;? says Reuben. With the lack of woman in IT globally the Khulisa Academy is committed to helping women entrepreneurs of the future to create lasting value and impact to their society. Innovation and job creation by women entrepreneurs is critical for a thriving global economy and Dell is passionate about seeing female entrepreneurs emerge and grab the many opportunities in the tech industry has to offer.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our aim is to walk this journey with them and guide them along the way, to develop a long term and sustainable set of outcomes...â&#x20AC;?

DIGITAL FLUENCY CAN HELP CLOSE THE GENDER GAP FASTER IN SOUTH AFRICA If governments and businesses can double the pace at which women become digitally fluent, we could reach gender equality in the workplace by 2040 in developed nations and by 2060 in developing nations. At Accenture, we want more. More women in our workforce, more female role models in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), more benefits for working parents. We want gender equality. We walk our talk, build our goals and principles into our workplace policies as well as social and enterprise development strategies. Research is an important mechanism to spread awareness and underpin our efforts. Getting to Equal, Accenture’s digital fluency survey of nearly 5,000 men and women in 31 countries, shows that by being more digitally savvy, or 48

digitally fluent, women can close the gender gap faster. It’s a well-documented fact that women lag men in workplace equality. Different reports peg the time to gender parity at as much as 100 years. Our Getting to Equal research shows that nations with higher rates of digital fluency among women—such as the Netherlands, Nordic, United States and the United Kingdom—have higher rates of overall digital equality. Additionally, digital is helping to shorten that timeline and close the gender gap for women in the workplace by as much

as 20 to 40 years. What is digital fluency? Digital fluency is the extent to which men and women embrace digital technologies to become more knowledgeable, connected and effective. While our survey found that men in every country rate higher in terms of digital fluency, women are closing the gap fast. The research shows that by boosting digital fluency, women can close the pay gap, level the playing field at work, improve access to employment and improve education

outcomes. • Nations with higher rates of digital fluency among women tend to have higher rates of equality in the workplace.

• Digital fluency has helped to change the game in education, leading to better outcomes for women and fuelling the trend for women to overtake men when it comes to attainment in tertiary education.

Netherlands, Nordic, the United States and the United Kingdom • When it comes to rank amongst the advancement—which best in terms of digital includes gender pay fluency for women. equality—digital’s Japan, Singapore, impact is still unclear. France and Switzerland The survey responses have the largest gaps show that men are between the digital by far the dominant fluency of men and earners by household. women. How does South • Digital fluency Africa fare? accelerates women’s opportunities According to our to participate in Getting to Equal survey, employment and is the country isn’t doing helping to close the well but has a huge gap between women potential to grow. and men. Digital gives women more Overall, South Africa opportunity to work ranked 21 out of 31 flexibly—they will countries for digital thrive as a wider fluency. Women and variety of working men in South Africa arrangements, enabled have relatively low by digital, replace digital fluency scores, traditional ways of with only a small gap working. measured between men and women in terms of 50

digital fluency. South African women’s scores for employment– i.e., the rate at which their ability to find and participate in work rises as digital fluency increases— are in the bottom three of the study. In addition, advancement scores, which measure how digital fluency accelerates the advancement of women in the workplace are low; about half that of the leading country in this category. Education outcomes, which show how achievement in education rises as digital fluency increases, are also low, although women do marginally outperform men in South Africa in this category. There is work to be done. Keep pushing Women in South Africa (and men) need to become more digitally

fluent. Individuals, businesses and government need to actively work toward, and support the achievement of greater digital fluency—for themselves and in their realms of influence.

and corporate social investment initiatives. Read the Getting to Equal report : www.accenture.com/ us-en/gender-equalityresearch-2016

Getting on the right side of the digital fluency gap can change the picture for women and for countries in dramatic ways. If governments and businesses can double the pace at which women become digitally fluent, we could reach gender equality in the workplace by 2040 in developed nations, and by 2060 in developing nations. That’s 25 and 40 years faster, respectively, than the present rate of change allows. The changes we are seeing in women’s lives as a result of digital fluency are here to stay. We welcome them and will continue to support attainment of digital fluency at all levels—in our recruiting, career development, business, 51

DISABLED BUSINESS WOMEN CREATING VISIBILITY OF DISABLED GIRLS AND WOMEN

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities, women and girls with disabilities face significantly more difficulties because they are subject to multiple discrimination because of their gender and their disability. This means that disabled women and girls experience challenges to obtain access to adequate education, housing, health vocational training and employment. Given this situation, the unwritten rules of society discourage disabled girls and women to realize their potential and to strive to live full lives. The challenges and successes of disabled women and girls are often invisible, and in some communities, disabled women are even referred to as “the erased ones”. In order to raise the visibility disabled women and girls, disabled business women, Karen Smit (founder) and Marlene le Roux (co-founder) founded an initiative in 2014, known as Women’s Achievement Network for Disability (WAND). Karen heads up the Specific Needs Products Division within SA’s

largest mobile communication network, whilst Marlene is the CEO of the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town. Being disabled women they have first-hand experience of overcoming adversity and prejudice due to facing double barriers. Karen and Marlene have learnt to face their challenges and tackle it head on so that each challenge or obstacle becomes a testimony of victory. These formidable women refuse to be victims and do not allow their disabilities to define them; their positive and can-do attitudes enable them to live life passionately. The WAND initiative is their way of sharing their blessings and giving back and making a difference in people’s lives. The main aim of WAND is to promote the human rights of disabled women and girls in South Africa. On-line channels such as their website are mainly used to highlight the challenges and successes of women and girls with disabilities. Main Programmes and initiatives of WAND • Facilitate Empowerment Workshops for girls in special schools from ages 13 18 years or grade 7 – grade 12 • Create role-model visibility of successful disabled women by sharing their stories • Advertise disabled entrepreneurs/women-owned businesses for free • Raise breast cancer awareness amongst disabled women with our partner CANSA • Encourage disabled women and young girls to practise financial fitness by making sound financial choices Disabled Girls are Beautiful and Able Empowerment Programme As of last year, WAND have been partnering with Artscape’s Women’s & Humanities Festival that takes place in August every year. This partnership enables Karen Smit and Marlene le Roux to host and facilitate a Celebration & Empowerment Workshop with sixty teenage disabled girls from various Special Schools in Cape Town. The workshop aim is to create a platform where the disabled girls can share their dreams and make their voices heard. The facilitators demonstrate to them that they too can strive to live happy and fulfilled lives, to give them hope and enable them to dream of a future, should they be willing to take action and 53

make things happen. The WAND founders were once disabled girls as well as they have had their disabilities from a very young age. Karen and Marlene have first-hand experience of the double barriers/discrimination that girls with disabilities experience and have a good understanding of their challenges, insecurities and vulnerability. As women role models, they use their learnings, experiences and networks to make a difference in these girls’ lives by empowering them to embark on a journey of self-acceptance and personal development. The first workshop that was held last year was a huge success and exceeded the facilitators’ expectations. The girls shared their stories of hope, challenges, desires and dreams freely and openly over a microphone – a stark contrast from the class situation where many of them choose to never say a word. They left the workshop feeling encouraged as they realized that celebrating themselves was the first step to achieving greatness. By attending this annual workshop, the girls are encouraged to focus on their strengths which increase their confidence and motivation. This empowerment creates purpose for their lives; motivating the girls to set goals and dreams which gives them hope for the future and to become the best they can be. This furthermore enables them to strive towards living full lives, eventually enabling them to contribute on an economical level. Should your organization be interested to partner with WAND, send an e-mail to wandwomen@gmail.com Further information can be obtained from the WAND website – www.wand.org.za

GENDER MAINSTREAMING AWARDS 2017

G M A

7 SEPTEMBER 2017