Part of MEB`s continued success is our diverse and talented local and international teams, boasting strong female experts and leaders. The true productive potential of South Africa`s female population in the STEM labor market remains untapped.
Nearly half of SA women are out of the labor force in Q2:2022 African women and girls are leading a continent that will be largely shaped and supported by the STEM sectors. In 2022, 47,0% of South African women were recorded as economically inactive. This means that almost half of the working age women in South Africa are out of labor force compared to 35,6% of their male counterparts. The latest global labor force participation rate for women is about 47% compared to 72% for men (ILO,2022).
South Africa`s human capital is very creative and entrepreneurial, however there are many barriers to entry and technology saturation, makes it hard for industry newcomers to navigate finding the best project partner for very complex projects. Even though less than a quarter of engineers are female, that number has been consistently growing over the last several decades. Female engineering students have been consistently on the rise in Africa, as women pursue careers in the STEM sectors, which are typically perceived as ‘male dominated’.
The South African labor force participation rate for women in Q2:2022 is 53,0% is much lower as compared to 64,4% for men, a gap of 11,4 percentage points. The absorption rate represents the share of the working age population that is used by the economy. Women have the lowest absorption rate at 34,2% in Q2:2022, lower than their male counterparts at 43,4%. The noticeable gap between men and women in terms of absorption rate can be observed over the period 2012 – 2022.
- Diversity in our team
- Supporting Female water professionals and entrepreneurs
- Gender inclusive skills transfer
We have supported female project leaders, owners, and entrepreneurs by bringing their solutions to life and by building robust, reliable infrastructure. It`s not about the gender but working with the right partner to supply the best possible solutions for your organization or customers.
MEB relies on a solid and tested methodological approach to effectively include consideration of gender equality, women’s empowerment, and inclusive planning in our project proposals and implementation. We understand that water management planning and building a resilient water infrastructure portfolio for an improved (integrated) management of water resources, is a prime sustainability driver.