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By Sinazo Mkoko

Out of 236 000 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) roles in South Africa, women occupy 56 000 of them, making it only 23% of tech jobs that are held by women in the country. 

This is according to Women inTech – an organisation which was started to showcase the diverse and talented women working in ICT in South Africa and raise awareness on addressing the gender gap in the technology sector. There are organisations across the continent that are making great strides in addressing the gender gap and equipping women and young girls with skills to form part of the tech industry. 

GirlCode 

GirlCode has an aim to empower women and girls with tech skills by 2030. With programmes  and clubs designed to equip young girls and women with technology skills. The organisation is the leader in promoting female entrepreneurship and supports innovative ideas while driving gender diversity in the start-up and technology industry. They do hackathons virtually where a total of 100 women in tech get to participate.

GirlHype

Founded in 2003, the organisation’s mission is to empower women and girls from disadvantaged backgrounds with skills to take space in the technology scene. The organisation boasts of an empowering environment that allows students to master the skills and knowledge they need to begin a new career in tech. The organisation states: “We are committed to preparing every one of our students to become tomorrow’s inquisitive problem-solvers,collaborative leaders, and innovative entrepreneurs.”

Women Who Code

This is an organisation that grants women access to different programmes and services that are designed to help women step up their tech career. The organisation has over 290,000 members who are career-aged tech professionals operating at each level of the industry. They dream of a world where women are proportionally represented as leaders in the technology sector. 

She Code Africa

This is an organisation with a mission to celebrate and empower girls and women in technology across the continent. They provide support through  diverse offline and online communities with great programmes and initiatives to always keep enthusiasts engaged while networking. 

Code Space Academy

This is an organisation that equips tech enthusiasts with skills to become leaders in the tech industry. They produce graduates who have an impact in the tech industry and become dynamic problem solvers who are able to keep pace in fast-moving work environments. 

Certification can take your business to great lengths 

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