Standard Bank and co-sponsor\u00a0Liberty lauched The Women in Technology Conference hosted at the\u00a0Protea Hotel, Melrose Arch to address challenges faced in the industry.<\/p>\n
The World Economic Forum’s Annual Gender Gap Report shows slow progress and minimal change in many countries worldwide; it estimates gender parity globally may now be over 170 years away.<\/p>\n
Previously, they estimated an 80-year timeframe, then it was 120\u00a0years.<\/p>\n
Women comprise 55% of the country’s entire workforce, yet only 20% of ICT professionals are\u00a0women\u00a0.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot miss this opportunity to grow this market, or be too slow to close the gender gap. It is crucial that the gateway to innovation and change is opened, and the levels of equality in the world of technology are improved,\u201d says Jayshree\u00a0 Naidoo Head- Standard Bank Incubator \u00a0from Standard Bank.<\/p>\n
The conference had panel discussions and keynote speakers addressing how access to market opportunities can be created.<\/p>\n
Charmaine Houvet, is the Director of Public Policy at Cisco. Charmaine gave insight about why it’s important to have women sit on corporate boards.<\/p>\n
Charmaine Houvet, Director of Public Policy at Cisco, speaking about why it’s important to have women sit on corporate boards\u00a0#SBWomenInTech<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/lYzurKND3N<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Social Coding ZA (@social_coding)\u00a0October 19, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n Dr. Mmakani Jantjies, who is currently a senior lecturer and Head of Information Systems Department at the University of The Western Cape (UWC).<\/p>\n Speaker, Dr Mmaki Jantjies, on Tech Entrepreneurs\u00a0#SBWomenInTech<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/MLHYGbKpLe<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 It’s_Phenyo (@PhenyoMoletsane)\u00a0October 19, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n Jayshree Naidoo,\u00a0 is part of the Customer Experience Team at Standard Bank. She is also the Interim CEO of Feenix (Feenix.org) a crowd funding platform that was launched by the Bank. Currently she is the Standard Bank Incubator Head.<\/p>\n @jayshnaidoo<\/a>\u00a0on stage sharing the story of\u00a0@Feenix_org<\/a>\u00a0and her journey of being a woman in technology\u00a0|\u00a0#LibertyBlueSkies<\/a>\u00a0#SBWomenInTech<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/uLGfXRKedP<\/a><\/p>\n