James Maisiri is a non-resident research fellow, Digital Africa Research Unit at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation at the University of Johannesburg, and PhD candidate, UJ. Picture: Supplied
JAMES MAISIRI
As we move away from International Women's Day, we need to reflect on the progress made towards gender equality and the areas where much work still needs to be done. If appropriate action is not taken now, the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies that are facilitating a more digital economy may erode the many strides we have made towards gender equality.
The 4IR is increasingly transforming the labour market, as 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030, according to an International Finance Corporation study. Individuals from underprivileged backgrounds are more exposed to job loss due to automation.
Senior lecturer Daniel le Roux’s research at Stellenbosch University demonstrates that an estimated 35% of South African workers’ (4.5 million people) jobs may be automated in the near future.
This is compounded by the fact that 50% of all black South African workers are in jobs with an 80% probability of automation. With this in mind, we must discuss how 4IR will affect women, who are generally disadvantaged in labour market participation.
South Africa must first ask itself how we can prepare the labour market for these changes. The World Economic Forum suggests encouraging students to train in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and information technology sciences. Within the next 10 years, STEM is predicted to be one of the fastest-growing fields in the world.
However, women are under-represented in STEM fields globally and thus may be side-stepped from “the future of work”. In South Africa, only 13% of STEM graduates from higher tertiary institutions consist of women. This may widen the gender disparity gap that already exists within the labour market.
Innovative technology may create and restructure existing jobs that require a new set of skills within the labour market. But South Africa is already in part suffering from structural unemployment. This means that there are some jobs available for workers; however, workers within the labour market do not have the necessary skills to occupy these vacant job positions.
Women being under-represented in STEM fields hinders them from being exposed to high-skill occupations and may worsen the country’s structural unemployment crisis. Just under 40% of core skills needed for jobs within South Africa require technological solutions. Failure to equip women, who constitute half the population, with the training necessary to be productive in the digital economy perpetuates the social exclusion of women and their families.
Women-headed households are more likely to experience poverty than their male counterparts in South Africa. One approach to curb this is training more women in STEM fields, as there is a large pool of untapped talent. The digital age creates some high-paying jobs that women can partake in as salaries in STEM fields, in many cases, tend to be higher than in non-STEM areas. This would elevate women and their families out of poverty cycles.
South Africa needs to streamline more solutions, such as giving women access to resources and training opportunities in STEM fields. An example is the WAAW (Working to Advance Science and Technology Education for African Women) Foundation, which has directed funding for female students pursuing tertiary education in STEM fields. Secondly, create more outreach programmes in primary and high schools that outline the career opportunities for these subjects.
Freddy Mashate, Eastern Cape provincial co-ordinator at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, is active in outreach programmes in the Eastern Cape. He further suggests that society builds conducive supportive systems to balance responsibilities for women in STEM fields and motherhood.
Thirdly organise mentorship programmes that expose young girls to STEM activities. This will also assist in battling any “cultural narrative” that perpetuates that STEM fields are exclusively for men. More importantly, clearly tell the youth (especially women) that the future is digital so that they may make informed subject choices.
As we move away from celebrating International Women’s Day, it is essential to reflect on the ongoing challenges that women may face within the digital economy. Women’s under-representation in STEM fields means a large pool of untapped talent exists. This untapped talent will put South Africa in a better position to take advantage of opportunities within the 4IR. This is not just a problem for women to solve; we all have a role in creating a more equitable and inclusive workforce that is prosperous for everyone.
James Maisiri is a Non-resident Research Fellow, Digital Africa Research Unit at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation at the University of Johannesburg, and PhD candidate, UJ.
Daily News