Gender Differentials and Women's Access to the STEM Fields: A Policy Appraisal of South Africa's Progress in Reaching the SDGs

The gender differentials of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pose a threat of the failure of South Africa to meet the Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality - SDG 5. A multiplicity of studies that examined gender equality policies focused on closing gender gaps through the inclusion of women. However, little information on how policies have directly addressed STEM is scarce. The objective of this study was to analyse policies that are aimed at facilitating the inclusion of women into the STEM fields of career in South Africa. It is important to come up with policy measures that are inclusive and sustainable by targeting both young and older women for inclusion. Doing so should entail strategic policy intervention aimed at dislodging the barriers that hamper women from taking up STEM opportunities. An investigation of the policies that address gender inequality was conducted, and a thorough scoping review of academic journals was conducted whereby the researcher selected the abstracts of relevant journals. Existing policy interventions at national level show that the policy approach follows the basic needs approach as well as empowerment. The result thereof showed that, although a substantial number of women have been empowered, in other fields, a negligible part of them are in STEM. Statistics reveal that the STEM fields are dominated by White males, while Black women form the minority. There is a lack of a strategic policy plan that provides for support of women to access STEM from early educational levels to institutions of higher learning. Furthermore, Black women experience the most hurdles, ranging from lack of financial support to cultural barriers, racial discrimination and self-doubt. Given the prevailing policy gap that intentionally speaks to the inclusion of women in STEM, there is an imminent possibility that South Africa will miss the SDG on gender equality and the inclusion of women in STEM. Hence, the need for a comprehensive policy plan that can plug the loopholes that perpetuate gender inequality in STEM.