In recent years, the digital economy has experienced rapid growth globally and Africa is not leftout. The penetration of smartphones and the adoption of mobile money is the major driver of this growth in Africa.
Fintech solutions further helped make e-commerce easier in Africa, now those who do not have access to traditional finance services can freely conduct online transactions and even invest or save money with fintech.
Various other startups have also emerged, solving different needs of the continent. In Africa, some of these startups are founded and run by women, though there is more work to do to ensure that more women participate in this digital economy.
Several initiatives and organizations are working at different levels to encourage this participation by providing learning resources and tools, mentorships, and community, among others.
There are lots of opportunities that can be harnessed by women in Africa’s digital economy space, there are strict funding for women-led startups both local and international funds.
There are also scholarship programs that seek to train women with the required skills that will enable them to play an active role in the digital economy space.
Women can also take up content creation, a lot of African women are already toeing this line but there are still opportunities for more women to get involved. Asides from helping them earn income, they can be advocates for getting more women into the system.
Africa is gradually but surely embracing remote work, women can hop on this and contribute to the digital economy.
There are lots of jobs that can be done remotely depending on the area of interest, one can get engaged to provide the needed services.
There are remote roles for virtual assistants, graphic designers, social media managers, and so many other roles.
Women can also participate in Africa’s digital economy by leveraging technology to carry out social enterprises addressing local needs and creating positive change that will improve society.
These social enterprises can be in any sector, such as education, healthcare, etc. There are also career opportunities in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Renewable energy, mobile app development, internet of things (IoT) among others that women can pursue.
This gives women the opportunity to not only participate in Africa’s digital economy, but also drive innovations in their different fields.
Oftentimes, women who try to participate face various challenges that sometimes make them want to leave the digital economy space. Top of that list is gender stereotypes, they are discriminated against outrightly or their contribution is not valued and this poses a problem to their career growth.
Another challenge is unfavourable cultural practices in some African settings. Women are often expected not to prioritize careers at certain points of their lives and this most times clashes with when there is a potential of reaching their career peak.
Harassment is another challenge that discourages women, not just physical harassment, there is cyberbullying, online stalking, threats, and all forms of violence which they are prone to by participating in the digital space.
Oftentimes, women encounter disparities in the pay and benefits given to their male counterparts for the same roles. Other times, their efforts are underappreciated or not recognized at all, which limits their career advancement.
These challenges highlight the importance of promoting women’s participation and leadership in the digital economy through targeted policies and initiatives.
By addressing these challenges, Africa can unlock the full potential of its human resources and drive sustainable and inclusive development.
Ensuring that these challenges are eliminated or in worst-case scenarios are mitigated to the barest minimum. This will encourage more women’s participation in the digital economy.
Also actively seeking and promoting digital inclusion, providing access to support and mentorship, and implementing inclusive policies and practices will improve women’s participation in Africa’s digital economy.
Don’t miss important articles during the week. Subscribe to techbuild.africa weekly digest for updates
