A new report released over the weekend has shown that less than 4% of African schools teach cybersecurity.
The 2021 “Tomorrow’s Cyber Heroines” study undertaken by CyberHeroines, KnowBe4 Africa, and Infosphere Limited surveyed more than 445 teachers across 14 African countries and was specifically conducted to unpack the complexities that face African girls in the technology landscape.
It also said it has become critical to dispel the stereotypes for women, inspire them to enter technology, and create positive role models that change the shape of the industry.
The survey stated that only 3.7% of African schools offer cybersecurity as a subject, a confirmation that less than 4% of African schools teach cybersecurity.
With Africa’s future largely reliant on its ability to adapt to digital transformation and the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), levelling the playing field for women has become critical, meaning that it has never been more important to change the cybersecurity workforce gender statistics than it is today.
The study found that a lack of education, limited guidance, minimal role models and societal preconceptions are having a serious, long-term impact on women’s careers and futures.
With cybersecurity and technology struggling to find skilled people, the market is wide open for those with the talent and the training to build sustainable and successful futures.
In addition to thriving careers, training and education in technology and cybersecurity is essential for the wellbeing of young girls and women in Africa.
“We have to give girls more opportunities, inspire them to get involved in technology and the cybersecurity field, and to remove the preconceived and socialized ideas that prevent women from pursuing careers in technology,” said Anna Collard, SVP of content strategy and evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa.
“According to research, women of colour are 34% more likely to be targeted by online hate speech than their white counterparts, and a huge percentage of African girls are concerned about their online safety.
“We must give them the tools, training and confidence they need to prepare for this online vitriol, and protect themselves.
“The world is digitizing rapidly and women are at risk of being left behind. We have to change the dialogue around technology and make it more inclusive for women and girls,” Collard further stressed.
A recent study by the Association for Progressive Communications underscored the reality of the gender digital divide.
The association said, in Africa, women have less access to internet-based technologies than men, that they have fewer opportunities, and that they are even more limited in their ability to move out from under poverty.
It also advised that, as the world continues to move into automation, women will be the most affected as their roles are replaced by machines. Change, it insisted, has to start now, start at home, and be carried through into education.
“We want African women to participate in the digital age – we cannot leave them behind,” said Aprielle Oichoe, the managing director of InfoSphere.
“We must empower girls to go into technology and this starts at a young age. We need to make a conscious decision to change the way we treat young girls. The dialogue needs to focus on making technology interesting for girls, not just something that they should leave to their brother.”
The key factors inhibiting women’s entry to the worlds of technology and cybersecurity were listed to include negative stereotypes, lack of role models or mentors, low self-confidence, and competing in a male-dominated industry. For these reasons, women are generally discouraged from careers in STEM and steered towards “traditionally female roles” instead.
“There is no such thing as a female role, not anymore,” said Oichoe. “Now there is just opportunity. We just have to make sure that this opportunity is given to everyone.”
The report unpacked the findings, insights, and solutions put forward by educators and experts across Africa, and targeted at improving the current situation where less than 4% of African schools teach cybersecurity.
It further examined the education curriculum, the challenges facing young African girls today, and also covered suggested initiatives that can be implemented to shift perceptions and transform the future for the women of Africa in an increasingly digitalized economy.
