Abstract
The introduction of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is changing traditional ways of working globally, with new technologies working efficiently and effectively to replace human labour. Consequently, workers should learn new skills to be integrated into this new era of work. South Africa and other contexts, the dominance of men workers in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector creates a patriarchal working environment that does not accommodate women, such that their penetration and participation in the sector remains scanty. Literature also revealed that patriarchy emerges as one of the root causes of women’s technological illiteracy in South Africa – a reality that widens the digital divide. Hence, the argument that women who have been historically marginalised from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) should be prioritised in getting access to technological skills to thrive in the 4IR. There is a gap in research in understanding how men ICT workers view gender equality, which influenced this study’s focus on interviewing ten men ICT workers on their conceptualisations and perceptions of gender equality in the sector in the era of the 4IR. The findings of this study revealed that there is still a long way to go to achieve gender equality in the ICT sector, as topics of patriarchy and exclusion arise frequently within the sector. For instance, men ICT workers in this study believed that ‘the ICT industry is not for women’ – a gendered stereotype that further excludes women from the sector.’ Thus, the study argued that gender equality in the ICT sector in the era of the 4IR can only be achieved when women have unhindered access not only to the sector but to existing and emerging technologies, as well as economic opportunities. The men ICT workers in this study believed that, as part of gender transformation, women in ICT should be at the forefront of encouraging women and girls’ participation in STEM. However, this study concluded that since men in South Africa are dominating the ICT sector and the broader society, they should play a central role in the creation of an enabling environment that encourages women’s participation in the sector as the country embraces the 4IR and its realities. Men ICT workers can achieve this by disrupting the patriarchal structure in society and workplace and serving as transformative mentors who encourage women and girls to participate in STEM fields. Even though there is a gap in understanding how men ICT workers view gender equality in the sector, the findings of this study revealed what other studies have already found that women including girls, show less confidence in STEM due to influences of patriarchy, thus leading to men’s economic dominance in the sector. The study recommends that the ICT sector should consider revisiting workplace policies that limit women’s economic participation in the sector. Considering that these recommendations are based on findings drawn from a small sample, the study recommends that future research should explore how gender equality unfolds and marginalises women’s efforts in entering the ICT sector, to understand how gender equality can be achieved in the sector.
Key words: gender equality; patriarchal digital divide; STEM education; women's participation; men ICT workers; gender transformation