Tech needs a D&I upgrade. Here’s where to start.

“The reason why PayU is particularly conscious of these issues is that we operate and lead the industry in emerging markets.”

20/08/2020

Much has been made of the need to increase female representation in the tech field. To achieve real and lasting change, action is needed not just from governments but from the industry itself.

While further efforts are required everywhere to increase gender parity in tech, for PayU there is one obvious place to start – in the emerging markets where we are most at home.

 

 

The global gender gap in tech

Globally, female students’ enrolment is particularly low in ICT (3 percent), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5 percent) and in engineering, manufacturing and construction (8 percent).

 

The World Economic Forum’s most recent Global Gender Gap report looks closely into gender gaps in specific roles. In collaboration with LinkedIn, they developed a new series of metrics and throw light on the gap between men and women at the frontiers of the new economy. Through LinkedIn data gender gaps become evident in specific skilled roles.

Gender gap report 2020
20/08/2020

What can the tech industry do to close this gap?

“Gender diversity in tech requires awareness, action, and consistency.”

In a recent interview, Karen Nadasen, Tech CEO of PayU South Africa, reveals her standing on gender diversity in tech and talks about PayU initiatives building a more gender balanced workplace, where women are provided with the same opportunities and resources to excel as their male counterparts.

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Technology companies play a significant role in economic improvement

The reason why PayU is particularly conscious of these issues is that we operate and lead the industry in emerging markets – Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and India, and Africa. They have all gone through turmoil and have these issues in these countries. We need to be aware of the plight of these countries. Women also contribute to the informal trading sector, so we need to direct them to technology that may be able to support them via education or financing – products like the app Spoon Money, which supports female street vendors to boost their business using loans, as well as stokvel principles and practices. We have to open your eyes and get involved because technology companies play a significant role in economic improvement.

And women do too. We need to see a dramatic upgrade and do more for each other in our industries. There’s a well-known TED Talk by Pat Mitchell and she opens with the line, dangerous times call for dangerous women and you can’t be dangerous from the sidelines.

Karen Nadasen, Country Manager & CEO, PayU South Africa

20/08/2020

 

Further reading:

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