As South Africa celebrates its 30th anniversary of democracy, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has been actively working to increase women's participation and inclusion in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Replying to questions in the National Council of Provinces on 15 October 2024, Minister Blade Nzimande said that the DSTI uses the framework of a talent and human capital development pipeline to prioritise not only participation and inclusion but also the performance of girls and women in STEM.

The DSTI's school-based support interventions such as olympiads, competitions and the Talent Development Programme, as well as other science engagement programmes, aim to increase the pool of girl learners that can enter STEM career fields.  Their participation in these programmes is set at 55% and is exceeded across the board in the implementation of these programmes.

The National Science Olympiad, led by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), is now in its 59th year.  SAASTA is a business unit of the DSTI's entity, the National Research Foundation (NRF), and its mandate is to advance public awareness, appreciation and engagement of science, engineering, innovation and technology in the country.

The project offers learners in grades 10 and 11 an exciting opportunity to compete with fellow learners from all nine provinces as well as SADC countries such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The competition comprises an annual examination in Physical and Life Sciences and the top national performers stand to win prizes.  The main aims of the competition are to identify talent, encourage excellence in science education, and stimulate interest in the sciences.  It seeks to inspire young people to consider careers in science and technology.

"The DSTI has established funding opportunities that prioritise research led by women or that addresses gender-specific issues in science and technology," added the Minister.

With respect to postgraduate funding, the Department has set a target of 55% for women who must receive postgraduate support.  This is set out in the DSI-NRF Postgraduate Funding Policy, which was approved by Minister Nzimande in May 2020 and started to be implemented in the 2021 academic year.

According to aggregated performance data across the honours, master's and PhD levels, women constituted 62% and 61% of funded postgraduate students respectively in the 2021 and 2022 academic years.  In 2023, women constituted 66% of funded honours students, 62% of master's students, and 54% of PhD students.

To advance equity in the research workforce, the Department, through the NRF, implements two key transformational programmes, namely, the Thuthuka Programme and Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP).  

The two programmes provide research grants to emerging researchers, with a focus on young South African black and women researchers.  Between 2019 and 2021, the Thuthuka Programme and BAAP provided 1 849 emerging researcher grants, 1 173 (61%) of which were awarded to women.  In 2023/24, there were 1 378 active emerging researcher grants, and 726 (53%) were held by women.

One of the flagship funding programmes of the Department at established researcher level is the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI), which is managed by the NRF.

Since its inception in 2005/6, 276 research chairs were awarded to 22 universities and national research facilities in various disciplines of scientific research, including the natural sciences, engineering, humanities and the social sciences.

The universities include, among others, Venda, Johannesburg, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal, while national research facilities include the South African Medical Research Council, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Sugar Milling Research Institute.

Due to the first cohort of research chairs (those awarded in the early phases) retiring out of the system, SARChI currently has 199 operational research chairs, 102 (51%) of whom are women.  This is a huge transformation gain given that women constitute just 37,5% of the university professoriate.

The South African Women in Science Awards, the Department's flagship event held annually, celebrates and rewards research excellence by the country's female scientists and researchers, as well as highlighting them as role models for young women and girls.  Since its inception in 2003, more than 500 young and established women researchers and scientists have been honoured.

Additionally, the Department is supporting non-profit organisations founded by young, black women scientists and researchers, namely, the Nka'Thuto Edu Propeller, Black Women in Science and Nematech.  They work on promoting engagements between science and society with a focus on disadvantaged communities, schools and other young women and girls. 

As articulated in the 2023 National Advisory Council on Innovation Science and Technology Indicators Report, the percentage of female doctoral graduates in STEM now surpasses that of male students.

Furthermore, the representation of female academic staff members in higher education institutions increased from 46% in 2010 to 52% in 2021; and the number of female authors contributing to university publications increased from 31% in 2005 to 42% in 2021.  

These efforts and positive results reflect a commitment to not only increasing the number of women in STEM but also ensuring that they are actively included in decision-making processes and leadership roles.  These initiatives underscore the importance of gender equity in driving innovation and economic growth, contributing to a more inclusive society overall.