TECHNOLOGY

Breaking Barriers & Creating Access for Women to Thrive in IT

Women are underrepresented in key sectors as professionals, skilled workers and decision-makers.

According to the leaky pipeline report by Syson Kunda and Marilyn Radebe, “Women are the highest percentage of users of most technology globally as well as in South Africa. Women are the highest users of social media, equipment, and appliances in homes as well as business environments. However, women are underrepresented in the IT industry, especially in design and development. Women are underrepresented in key sectors as professionals, skilled workers and decision-makers.” So, if women are the highest users of technology why are they so underrepresented?

What can be done to improve statistics and encourage participation of women in the IT sector? How do we break barriers and create access for more

women to thrive in the IT sector with full recognition; not being overlooked or under looked for promotions and underpaid? There are a few women breaking barriers recently which is amazing, but how do we get more women involved, more women pushing boundaries and showing up?

Most recently it was announced that Ms. Nthabeleng Likotsi will be the first black woman to own a mutual bank.

At the age of 36 and from the Free State province Ms Likotsi is breaking the barriers showing the African child that it is possible to come from a small town, dream big and realise those dreams.

Then there is Ms Queen Ndlovu, CEO and co-founder of QP Drones who is breaking barriers in the drone industry.

She has partnered with Flying Labs and was nominated as a finalist for Women in Tech (2020) by the South African Tech Innovation Summit and has been featured in Drone Professional 2.

One of the key ascriptions that Ms Ndlovu indicated assisted her in realising her progress was the role that business incubation and mentorship played in her success.

Business incubation is a programme intended to create an enabling environment to help businesses be more sustainable.

Through business incubation entrepreneurs are offered business and technical training, mentorship and coaching and, access to funding and markets. Africa Beyond 4IR (AB4IR) is one such incubator, focused on supporting entrepreneurs in the IT industry.

AB4IR has three programmes; the digital innovation hub where entrepreneurs are supported over 24 months, the Umbocoder which specifically directs effort to support, groom and grow women in the IT sector and finally drone technology.

During the month of June, AB4IR will be hosting their inaugural Digital Youth Festival which will take place in three provinces.

The event is intended to encourage youth participation (especially the girlchild) in the digital economy while decoding the fourth industrial revolution. It is through platforms such as these where the participants interact with technology that they learn that it is ok to be a part of it.

Often the playing field look like a landmine when one starts navigating them, but becomes more navigable with each step, along with guidance and support.

The festival will take place in Gauteng on 10 and 11 June, in Limpopo on 17 and 18 June and in the Eastern Cape on 24 and 25 June 2021.

Technology is an integral part of modern living and cuts across all sectors.

Imagine how much more powerful it can be when more women are involved, as aptly stated by an old proverb, when you educate a woman, you educate a nation.

For more information on the Digital Youth Festival visit www.dyf.co.za