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In light of International Girls in ICT Day, South African firms are ramping up their digital skills training initiatives for girls, to ensure they are not left out of the country’s digital economy. Countries across the globe yesterday celebrated Girls in ICT Day , which was declared by the International Telecommunication Union on 8 April 2011, to encourage young women to pursue careers in information and communication technologies. Hundreds of events took place worldwide, aimed at inspiring a new generation of girls to explore the exciting opportunities offered by an ICT career – under the theme: “Girls in ICTs: Bridging all divides for an inclusive digital transformation”.
According to the United Nations, women and girls are 25% less likely than men to have sufficient knowledge and digital skills to use technology. This robs girls of crucial opportunities. While girls do as well as boys in science, in most countries, including SA, women occupy less than one-third of positions in the technology sector globally, it notes.
Edtech platform IDEA says it has been promoting gender equality in STEM, by implementing several initiatives, including the Young Environment Scientist programme, developed with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, and the WCED ePortal, which aims to help achieve gender balance in the programmes. Dr Corrin Varady, education analyst and CEO of IDEA, says failing to actively include girls in STEM-focused education could present long-term risks for SA’s digital economy. “Failing to actively promote girls in STEM and digital fields − where women are already leading as scientists, thought leaders and economists − undermines both progress and potential,” notes Varady.
“If we don’t consistently advocate for girls to engage in STEM, we deny many young South Africans the opportunity for self-determination. With the global digital economy driving both current and future growth, gender equity in these sectors must begin at basic education level and continue through to higher education and beyond.” While SA has robust policies in place to support diversity, the real challenge lies in moving beyond access, to meaningful digital inclusion.
More needs to be done to raise awareness, create opportunities and build tangible pathways that connect girls to industry, he adds. “It takes collective action from both the public and private sectors to evolve equity quotas from access to action. We need to connect the dots and raise awareness, bridge the gap between school-level STEM and industry, and ensure companies are vocal about their commitment to hiring and upskilling girls in the fields traditionally dominated by men.
“Progress is happening, but promoting STEM and tech for girls must be urgent and intentional if we are to ensure the sector is equally represented,” Varady asserts. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa yesterday hosted the International Girls in ICT Day engagement at Ivory Park Secondary School in Tembisa. It featured motivational talks with ICT experts, and was targeted at female learners in Grades 11 and 12, particularly those pursuing mathematics and science, with the aim of sparking their interest in pursuing careers within the ICT sector.
Technology company Cisco says it is intentional about supporting women in ICT through platforms such at Wired4Women and GirlCode. Its six Edge computer centres across SA are managed by young female ambassadors, it notes. Internally, it supports inclusion through programmes like Cisco Early in Career, Women in Cisco and Connected Black Professionals.
Next week, Cisco will launch the Cisco Women in Science and Engineering chapter in South Africa, which will focus on offering STEM programmes. Smangele Nkosi, GM of Cisco South Africa, explains: “These internal and external efforts work together to raise awareness, build skills and make sure women are empowered − not just to participate in tech, but to lead. “When girls are left out of digital learning, we risk reinforcing the very inequalities we aim to break down.
Economically, it shuts women out of some of the fastest-growing and most secure careers. This widens the gender pay gap and holds back overall economic progress − because when half the population can’t fully contribute, we all lose out on innovation and growth.” Recognising the need to expand digital skills training in rural areas, Cisco has partnered with government, non-profit organisations and the National Library of South Africa to launch digital learning hubs in remote areas across the country.
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