Advancing Women in ICT Starts with Systemic Change

“Women and girls are natural agents of change. If we teach one girl to code, she will go on to teach more.” This quote by renowned American Technologist Kimberly Bryant perfectly embodies the spirit of recognising the importance of women in STEM and ICT. It highlights the collaborative nature of the movement to share knowledge for change. It is about celebrating how far we have come while acknowledging that it is not far enough and will take a lot of support from our peers to get there.

As we celebrate Women’s Month in South Africa, it is crucial to reflect on the progress made and the challenges that remain. Recently, Accenture in South Africa teamed up with GirlCode to make this idea a reality by gathering 30 young females for a career day to celebrate. Our lineup of speakers was a celebration of progress with speakers like Zandile Mkwanazi , CEO of GirlCode Group , and Belinda Motshome , a senior leader in our Technology business and our Women’s Forum lead, joining us to share their experiences in the sector. It was a fascinating look into the state of gender inequality in South African ICT with firsthand experiences punctuating the hurdles and triumphs women in the sector face daily.

According to data from the Commission for Employment Equity in South Africa, 41.28% of ICT professionals are women. While these figures show improvement, we still have a long way to go. One worrying statistic from the same source shows the lack of representation of women in senior or top management positions. Overall employee growth was observed across various skill levels, including semi-skilled, skilled, and unskilled workers, however, growth in top and senior management positions was comparatively lower at 1%. This suggests that women may still face challenges in advancing to higher-level positions within the industry, indicating a need for targeted efforts.

These statistics should not be seen in isolation but as part of the broader gendered landscape in South Africa. Gender inequality, discrimination, and gender-based violence continue to hamper women’s efforts in all sectors. Almost half of South African citizens report that gender-based violence is common in their communities. Another key issue is our woefully underperforming education system that fails learners from the foundation phase of schooling – the results of an international benchmark study show that 81% of grade fours in SA cannot read for meaning. How can women advance in any sector when they are operating in a society that undermines them at every level?

While we do not have all the answers or ability to enact mass social change, there are ways that organisations can do their bit to tackle gender inequality and the domino effect it has on women’s ability to succeed in and outside the workplace. Investing and platforming organisations like GirlCode and other NPOs focusing on ICT education and skills development build stronger support structures for girls and young women to succeed.

We have made some remarkable progress in this area, with Accenture’s Skills to Succeed (S2S) programme, an initiative offering skills development in market-relevant, in-demand skills including ICT and employment opportunities to previously disadvantaged South Africans. To date, our programme has helped equip over 4.6 million people with skills to take up opportunities in STEM related fields, and have invested over 30 million in strategic partnerships to scale S2S initiatives.

With over a decade of success in South Africa, we continue to evolve and expand this initiative. We collaborate at every level – with our clients, NGOs, suppliers, government, research and development organisations, and other stakeholders – to ensure collective impact to enable a growing economy and a society that works, powered by the potential of young people.

Mentorship is another crucial ingredient to success. Sometimes it is as simple as showing that women have beat the odds by sharing stories of overcoming discrimination and using their knowledge to climb the ranks. Platforming successful, innovative women in tech is one way to prove that women deserve a seat at the table and have the power to shift the seating arrangements entirely. Through these efforts, organisations must always keep in mind the crucial obstacles that women face more broadly and provide as much support as possible throughout their journeys to success. Our career day served as a reminder of the rich potential of South Africa’s female ICT professionals. It is up to us to help actualise it.