Exploring the Perceptions of Wits Academic Women About Women Empowerment and the Changing Roles of Women in 21st-Century South Africa

Abstract

Issues of women's empowerment and gender inequality have been of paramount importance, particularly in the two decades since the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995. At that conference, the campaign for women's empowerment was initiated to implement laws promoting gender equality. This research explored the perceptions of nine academic women at the University of the Witwatersrand with regard to women's empowerment and the changing roles of women in a South African context in the 21st century. The research adopted a qualitative research methodology, and purposive sampling was utilized to select the study population. Data were collected in the form of semistructured interviews of approximately 30 to 60 min in duration, and thematic content analysis was applied to analyze the data. The data collected indicated that women in academia face challenges and experiences like other women in the workforce. These challenges and experiences are a result of the patriarchal nature of the workplace environment and the slow transformation at the university. It is also interesting to note that the gender roles of women in academia in their daily activities, married or single, are aggravated by the patriarchal nature of the broader society in which these women live.

The Other Side of the Story: The Costs of Being a Public Good Academic

“…However, the silence of some participants about other social identity markers, such as gender, race, and nationality, does not necessarily mean there are no identity contingencies associated with them. The literature suggests that there are challenges that academics face because of these identity markers, even though they are not directly associated with their contribution to the public good, but have an impact on it (Ayala-López 2018; Harry et al 2017;Khunou et al 2019;Muberekwa and Nkomo 2016;Ramohai 2019;Shober 2014).…”

Role of English Language as a Literacy Tool in Shaping the Perception of Women’s Empowerment

“…As discussed in the previous section, women's empowerment is a significant aspect of empowerment. Women's empowerment can be defined as a process that requires preconditions that can facilitate the processes that expand women's agency or the ability to make choices, which in turn determines the outcomes that have direct implications on their welfare (Siddaraju, 2019;Muberekwa & Nkomo, 2016). Even today, women's empowerment depicts the social process that grants women the pathway to autonomy and this has always been a topic of discussion that has been closely knitted with gender equality (Cin, Gümüş & Weiss, 2021).…”

“…By doing so, it does not only prevent the conflict from blowing out of proportion but also resolves the issue at hand. More women are involved in careers in the communications sector, but few have attained positions at the decision-making level or serve on governing boards and bodies that influence media policy (Odigwe et al, 2017;Muberekwa & Nkomo, 2016;Nazneen et al, 2011;Rorstrom, 2011).…”

“…This phenomenon is highly applicable in the working environment of the 21 st century where women hold executive positions and possess the authority to run an organization. With English language literacy, an empowered woman can earn an independent income, be educated and employed, and possess the right to ownership and this establishes a women's self-actualization, influence and social movement (Odigwe et al, 2017;Muberekwa & Nkomo, 2016;Nazneen et al, 2011;Rorstrom, 2011). Further, Rotstrom (2011) stated that most men agree that women have ascertained a position of increased influence both within and outside the household in the past decade.…”

“…Being able to respect oneself is a significant attribute of women's empowerment. A common phenomenon is the increasing politicization of women's social roles in patriarchal cultures; how women progressively act and make demands collectively in public spheres in order to increase their influence both on national, local and community levels (Muberekwa & Nkomo, 2016;Rorstrom, 2011).…”