Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation has urged stronger, better coordinated measures to ensure women and girls can not only enter but also advance and lead within South Africa’s science, technology and innovation system, the committee said on 25 August 2026.
From access to advancement
The committee framed the issue as central to national development and economic transformation, arguing that simply encouraging entry into STEM is not enough; women must be supported to stay, progress and take leadership positions across research, innovation and technology sectors.
In remarks reported by regional media, the committee chairperson, Lusizo Makhubela, said participation by women is critical to building a competitive and inclusive innovation economy. The committee pointed to recent progress in higher education and research participation but stressed that those gains require active measures to convert representation into influence and career advancement.
“They must be supported to remain, advance and lead. The country needs their talent, ideas and leadership if science, technology and innovation are truly to be for everyone,”
The committee cited the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s end-term assessment of its 2020–2025 strategic plan, which reports that women made up 48% of South Africa’s research workforce in 2024/25, up from 45.1% in 2019/20. While noting this improvement, the committee said more coordinated interventions are required to remove structural barriers that limit progression.
Practical actions the committee wants
The committee called for a stronger and more integrated national response to gender equity in STEM. Among the implied priorities are:
- Targeted retention and career-development programmes for women researchers and technologists.
- Measures to address workplace culture, mentoring and leadership pipelines.
- Policy coordination across government departments, higher education institutions and the private sector to align funding, targets and accountability.
The committee characterised the issue as more than a matter of fairness: it framed equitable participation as essential to skills development, competitiveness, innovation and social justice. That line of argument aligns with current national goals to stimulate inclusive economic growth through science and technology.
| Year | Share of research workforce who are women |
|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 45.1% |
| 2024/25 | 48% |
These headline figures show progress but mask challenges that the committee highlighted: retention beyond entry-level posts, promotion into senior research and management roles, and equitable access to research funding and infrastructure.
Why this matters for an innovation economy
Policy-makers often link broader economic goals — such as job creation, productivity and competitiveness — to the strength of the science and technology ecosystem. The portfolio committee argued that keeping women in the system and enabling their advancement will expand the talent pool, diversify perspectives in research and increase the likelihood that innovation outcomes address the needs of a wider cross-section of society.
As South Africa launched its inaugural National Science Month in 2026, the committee’s statement serves as a reminder that symbolic recognition must be matched by programmes that tackle the institutional and cultural hurdles women face in STEM careers. The committee called for ongoing monitoring and coordination so gains in representation translate into leadership and influence.
Implementation details, funding commitments and timelines were not set out in the reporting. The committee’s comments, as reported, place pressure on the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and other stakeholders to present concrete plans that move beyond headline statistics to measurable improvements in career progression and leadership representation for women in science and technology.
