If one were to perform a survey in a secondary school, one would easily note that very few girls will show interest in wanting to pursue a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics)
Today, we live in a world which has been and is being grossly influenced by technological advancements. We have moved from candles to lamps and now to efficient LEDs. We have moved from horses to chariots, then to cars and now aircrafts. Everything is getting digital. In fact, in the words of Cindy Bates, Vice President of Microsoft's Small and Medium Sized Business "Technology is woven into everything. You can't talk about anything these days without technology as one of the ingredients". Cameroon has not been left out as many technological changes have also been witnessed from agriculture to transport, energy, information technology, communication and many other sectors. Conscious of all these facts, why are Cameroonian women not so involved in these tech trends?
If one were to perform a survey in a secondary school, one would easily note that very few girls will show interest in wanting to pursue a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) oriented career in the future. In fact, in a research study by Girl Scouts of America, only 13% of female teens say a STEM related career would be their first choice. This percentage could even be lower in Cameroon. They feel it is too difficult for them and that it is a man's thing. Many a Cameroonian girl wouldn't want to imagine herself sitting before a computer the whole day, or ascending a pylon to draw an electrical power line. This lack of interest and motivation discourages many girls and women from pursuing a tech career.
In addition, biological factors could also be responsible for this scarcity of women in tech sectors. Many tech jobs need robustness and constancy that women can't possess all the time. Women take both antenatal and postnatal leaves and other leaves that men don't benefit from. Some employers will definitely prefer employing the men whom they think can be available at all times and probably much more performant though it is not always the case.
Further, the sociocultural stereotypes of the Cameroonian society also stop many women from considering tech careers. Women are sometimes considered the weaker sex and thus not considered capable of executing some duties. In most cultures, there is still the notion that a woman is meant to cater for the home and hence shouldn't have a career that will be very demanding as most tech careers are. Considering this, many women prefer to take other professions.
Furthermore, there is also the problem of policy. Enough is not done to encourage the female sex to engage in STEM careers. They are left on their own to compete with the males who easily stigmatize them at times. Government and other stakeholders need to encourage females to embrace these careers through scholarships and fellowships that will boost their morals. They need to constantly create awareness in these women and girls so that they can have a complete change of mindset and hence brave the odds.
However, one must acknowledge that the number of girls and women in tech is on the rise today in Cameroon. With women like Charlotte Horore Bebga, Founder of AfricanWITS, Diane Mullende Eboule, Director of Africa Home, Mireille Kooh, CEO of Afrik Digital Marketplace (ADMP) and Rebecca Enonchong who has grown so popular in the tech sectors, one would say the stigma is being broken. Also, in secondary and high schools, there is an increase in the number of girls seeking to embrace STEM subjects. In engineering schools like Polytechnic Yaounde, the number of enrolled girls is also on the rise. All these elements are proof that the situation is improving though much more needs to be done.
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