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IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
Effective empowerment of women will boost the economy
Refilwe Lesufi Image: Supplied As Women's Month continues to be commemorated in South Africa with colourful banners and applause, it is worth noting that for many women and girls, the struggle for equal opportunity is a daily lived experience. Efforts to empower women and girls in South Africa have not resulted in an impactful shift in addressing historical disparities. The labour market continues to favour men and shows minimal signs of making real progress towards improving prospects for women. Stats SA's latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2025 reveals ongoing disparities in the labour market. A media statement by Stats SA notes that the unemployment rate for women in this period was 35,9% compared with 31,0% for men, a gap of 4,9 percentage points. 'These differences reflect persistent gender imbalances in unemployment, labour force participation and the sectors in which men and women are employed.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Education is also not closing the gap in unemployment for South African women, according to the Stats SA statement, and gender disparities in the labour market remain entrenched across all levels of educational attainment. 'In the second quarter of 2025, the official unemployment rate for graduates stood at 12,2%, marking a 0,5 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. … a closer look reveals a persistent gender gap among the most educated. Female graduates faced an unemployment rate of 15%, compared to 8,9% for their male counterparts, a difference of 6,1 percentage points.' A gender-focused approach is needed to deliver employment opportunities that are inclusive and responsive to challenges faced by women. In South Africa, a large share of the country's scarce skills lies within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM ) fields. According to the Reginsights article, ''The Most In-Demand Skills in South Africa 2025,' skills such as ICT specialists, engineering professionals, healthcare workers, renewable energy experts, technicians, education specialists, agricultural scientists, finance specialists, and logistics professionals are all in short supply. As we celebrate National Science Week, let us remember that the future of STEM in South Africa lies in the hands of our youth. Image: Supplied STEM as a strategic driver offers a powerful, gender-focused pathway to creating inclusive employment opportunities, especially for women in rural areas, informal settlements and townships, while directly addressing the unique barriers they face. PROTEC is an independent NPO that provides education support in STEM gateway subjects – Mathematics, Technology and Science – as well as English and World of Work life skills training. In partnership with our funders, we have consistently committed to advancing the gender equality and redress agenda. More than 63% of our total beneficiaries are female, and we are seeing a growing number of young women pursuing careers in engineering, science, and other STEM fields that were once male-dominated. In 2024, ten of PROTEC's top twelve matric beneficiaries were female. Why is a focus on women so important? An article by the Stellenbosch University Business School in December 2024, titled 'Equal pay for equal work: How does South Africa measure up?' reveals that, 'In South Africa, around 38% of households are headed by women. Female-headed households are approximately 40% poorer than those headed by men. Also, 48% of female-headed households support extended family members compared to only 23% of male-headed households.' Women bear a disproportionate burden in caring for children, earn less than men, are more vulnerable to domestic violence, and face greater challenges in accessing resources to improve their lives — illustrating how power dynamics continue to favour men.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Effective empowerment of women will boost the economy
Refilwe Lesufi | Published 14 minutes ago As Women's Month continues to be commemorated in South Africa with colourful banners and applause, it is worth noting that for many women and girls, the struggle for equal opportunity is a daily lived experience. Efforts to empower women and girls in South Africa have not resulted in an impactful shift in addressing historical disparities. The labour market continues to favour men and shows minimal signs of making real progress towards improving prospects for women. Stats SA's latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2025 reveals ongoing disparities in the labour market. A media statement by Stats SA notes that the unemployment rate for women in this period was 35,9% compared with 31,0% for men, a gap of 4,9 percentage points. 'These differences reflect persistent gender imbalances in unemployment, labour force participation and the sectors in which men and women are employed.' Education is also not closing the gap in unemployment for South African women, according to the Stats SA statement, and gender disparities in the labour market remain entrenched across all levels of educational attainment. 'In the second quarter of 2025, the official unemployment rate for graduates stood at 12,2%, marking a 0,5 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. … a closer look reveals a persistent gender gap among the most educated. Female graduates faced an unemployment rate of 15%, compared to 8,9% for their male counterparts, a difference of 6,1 percentage points.' A gender-focused approach is needed to deliver employment opportunities that are inclusive and responsive to challenges faced by women. In South Africa, a large share of the country's scarce skills lies within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM ) fields. According to the Reginsights article, ''The Most In-Demand Skills in South Africa 2025,' skills such as ICT specialists, engineering professionals, healthcare workers, renewable energy experts, technicians, education specialists, agricultural scientists, finance specialists, and logistics professionals are all in short supply. STEM as a strategic driver offers a powerful, gender-focused pathway to creating inclusive employment opportunities, especially for women in rural areas, informal settlements and townships, while directly addressing the unique barriers they face. PROTEC is an independent NPO that provides education support in STEM gateway subjects – Mathematics, Technology and Science – as well as English and World of Work life skills training. In partnership with our funders, we have consistently committed to advancing the gender equality and redress agenda. More than 63% of our total beneficiaries are female, and we are seeing a growing number of young women pursuing careers in engineering, science, and other STEM fields that were once male-dominated. In 2024, ten of PROTEC's top twelve matric beneficiaries were female. Why is a focus on women so important? An article by the Stellenbosch University Business School in December 2024, titled ' Equal pay for equal work: How does South Africa measure up? ' reveals that, 'In South Africa, around 38% of households are headed by women. Female-headed households are approximately 40% poorer than those headed by men. Also, 48% of female-headed households support extended family members compared to only 23% of male-headed households.' Women bear a disproportionate burden in caring for children, earn less than men, are more vulnerable to domestic violence, and face greater challenges in accessing resources to improve their lives — illustrating how power dynamics continue to favour men. With concerted effort by South African organisations across the board, we can break barriers, redress imbalances, and ensure that South Africa's future workforce is inclusive and ready for the challenges of tomorrow. Industry leaders can actively invest in: Exposure – by introducing girls to STEM career paths from an early age. Support – by funding education, training, and resources. Mentorship – by connecting learners with role models. Employment pathways – through internships, bursaries and jobs. As UN Women reminds us: 'Ensuring women's and girls' rights in all areas of their lives is the only way to secure prosperous and just economies and build a healthy planet for future generations.' By deliberately empowering girls and women, we have the power to reshape history, drive economic growth, reduce poverty and improve health and livelihoods.
