East African techpreneur Neema Iyer works at the intersection of data, design and digital to eventually enable products, policies and programs that take into account the needs of African women.



ARE GENDER DIFFERENCES AS RIFE on the world wide web as in the real world? When technologist Neema Iyer returned home to Africa after graduating from Emory University in the United States with a degree in epidemiology and statistics, she was bent on addressing gender from a technology perspective. 



Born to Tanzanian and Indian parents and raised in Nigeria, 34-year-old Iyer is today running Pollicy, a firm she founded in Kampala, Uganda, as a civic technology organization that works at the intersection of data design and technology and understanding how data can be used most effectively for improving service delivery through research, digital literacy, digital security and products. 



When she first touched down, she took up a job in Uganda where she worked in the ICT sector, but under predominantly white, male founders from the West. There was also a lack of touch points in governments with the African context. So Iyer decided she needed a fresh perspective using a gender lens.



“When you really look at it like a lot of technology, a lot of data, the systems are developed in Silicon Valley and I don’t feel that African women are particularly the end users when they design different technology,” says Iyer. 



Pollicy, funded mostly by grants from big tech like Facebook and Mozilla, more broadly focuses on gendered data and feminist data, that takes into account power dynamics and the person researching. 



“If you don’t have this kind of data, then it would be very difficult to make platforms or policies of programs that really take into account the needs of African women and what are the challenges and what are the gaps,” she says. 



For instance, field research or product development would usually involve talking to the head of the household or people in authority, which would usually be men. There are many other situations where women may not be allowed to take part in research, and Iyer thinks challenging this status quo is more important now more than ever. 



“Women in Africa are least likely to be connected to the internet, so there’s a very big digital gender gap. And they tend to have lower digital literacy, they tend to have lower ownership of mobile devices, they tend to have lower access to information. So, when you take all of these things into account, you can’t just have a one-size-fits-all solution for everyone.” Iyer notes cultural differences in even who can answer a phone call or who can own a phone. 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Afrofeminist-Data-Futures-7-914x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-51400" width="315" height="353" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Afrofeminist-Data-Futures-7-914x1024.png 914w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Afrofeminist-Data-Futures-7-268x300.png 268w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Afrofeminist-Data-Futures-7-768x860.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Afrofeminist-Data-Futures-7-1371x1536.png 1371w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Afrofeminist-Data-Futures-7-1829x2048.png 1829w" sizes="(max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px" /></figure></div>



These restrict women’s voices and participation. And even those can be online, as substantiated by online violence and gender disinformation. “It basically leads to the censorship of women, it leads to them leaving online spaces…if you don’t really think about these issues from the gender nuance, then you can replicate a lot of the discrimination that already exists in the physical world.” 



For her, these aspects need attention to meet the different needs of people, and to build products accordingly. Iyer is also interested in combining art and data. 



“So, moving beyond just spreadsheets and trying to make data more accessible to people.” 



For example, her team worked on a project in Uganda called ‘Create Your Kampala’, where they collected data from local communities on different social services, and then worked with them to create wall murals as a way to share back their data and get people involved in the conversation. 



“[We wanted to say] ‘you own this data; this is your data; how are you going to use it to improve your situation’?” 



But the challenge is that a number of African countries are not moving as quickly as they should in using, supporting and protecting data. Data collection is expensive, there are many administrative hurdles, and it needs a lot of trustbuilding. Pollicy is about four years old and Iyer had hoped it would have made more headway in this time, thinking there would have been be so many competitors in the space by now. 



“When I look back, I don’t feel like so much has changed, like we’re still very much lagging in the conversations. A lot of the artificial intelligence conversations are dominated way more by other countries, and even though funders are trying to do more in the African context, there is just not enough happening. So, I would love to see more organizations coming out and doing much, much more work on everything from collecting data, to analyzing it, to processing it, to getting value from it… with a feminist lens.” 



Iyer asserts that data will really help drive innovation and improve services, because if people know where the gaps are, then they can improve business, creativity and products. There is, of course, the fear that governments could use these systems to oppress dissenting voices. 



“Everything we do is grounded in ethics and equity and inclusiveness, so that when you do build technology, it’s not used to harm marginalized people… we need to come together now to think about that and to come up with solutions… I feel like there’s this urgency that we need to come up with better laws that work for everyone.”



Another challenge Iyer notes is the need to make data as intersectional as possible. 



“You don’t want power to be concentrated… so really thinking about power dynamics when you use data, I think it’s that intersectionality of gender and class and tribe and ethnicity, so that you can really make equitable products from the data.” 



Iyer also hopes to expand beyond Africa’s borders and continue working with government and civil society to create a better world. “You know, crafting our futures together in a way that works for everyone; that’s equitable and that’s inclusive and we want to make our own decisions for ourselves; so I really want to push that narrative.”



BY INAARA GANGJI

Ninnojackjr 2

Driving Feminist Data For Change

Namibia is now the most gender-equal country in Africa and sixth in the world, but there are mixed views on the reality in the southern African country.



PATIENCE MASUA, 22, RECENTLY MADE HISTORY in Namibia when she became the youngest member of parliament. If anything, it affirms Namibia’s newfound status as the sixth most gender-equal country in the world, a step ahead of even globally-renowned Rwanda, according to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2021 Global Gender Gap Report released in March. Iceland is the most gender-equal country in the world for the 12th time on the list. Namibia and Rwanda are the only two African countries in the top 10. 



Vesselina Stefanova Ratcheva, the report’s Insights Lead, tells FORBES AFRICA: “What we see in the data is that there is political empowerment; we’ve seen this closing of political gender gaps, which is one of the reasons why Namibia has done so well.” 



There are more reiterations of this. Gender Links (GL), a southern African women’s rights organization, says in a 2020 report that women constitute 46% of Namibia’s parliament, narrowly missing the 50% mark. GL further states that “Namibia and South Africa are now tied for the highest representation of women in parliament in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)”. 



But there are other voices that need to be heard too, on the gender-related issues in the country. “Namibia on the list is a huge contradiction,” says Namibia-based gender mainstreaming consultant, Penohole Brock. “It’s our gender awareness that is lacking overall. You have women in leadership positions that continue to uphold conservative views and patriarchy.” 



In October last year, a wave of protests against gender-based violence broke out in Namibia’s capital city, Windhoek. The #ShutItAllDownNambia protestors called for the government to do more to stop the spread of rape and the killing of women. On October 10, EWN reported that the protest was quickly dispersed by police and the Special Reserve Force using tear gas, rubber bullets and batons. 



Since then, was it possible more political attention was given to improve issues? “But it could be that politicians made a conscious choice to drive forward the number of women that are represented in government so that they can help solve these issues,” Ratcheva says. “But I wouldn’t say certainly that it is, without knowing.” 



Brock counters by saying that although Namibia ticks all the representation boxes, she questions what representation actually means, and how there are still gender issues in the country. 



“Political parties are placing women in parliament now, but when you talk to the women, they say that the men still dominate the space. From a quantitative gender audit, Namibia seems okay on paper, but a qualitative gender audit will show major red flags.” 



Since its conception in 2006, the Global Gender Gap Report has highlighted the evolution of gender-based gaps in four areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. 



The 2021 report shows how it will now take 135.6 years – up from 99.5 years – to close the global gender gap. The pandemic has pushed back gender parity by a generation. Sub-Saharan Africa has made slow progress, as this region will take 121.7 years to close the gender gap. 



More than half of the countries in the region (20 out of 34) made progress towards gender parity in the past year, though only Namibia and Rwanda have closed at least 80% of their gaps. Ratcheva’s first assessment of the report is that “this is a risky time for gender parity”. 



She further explains that the issues of gender equality and equity plus Covid-19 equal an incredible amount of backsliding. This could result in that 136year figure increasing in the years to come. 



“Covid-19 is posing challenges to all of us in very different ways. Unless there is a concerted effort to reinvest in gender parity and to put in place the foundations for gender-equal recovery, there could be a lot more of that backward progress,” she warns. 



Although politically, Namibia seems to be on the right track in achieving gender parity, Brock argues that from a local authority level, there is still much to be done. 



“Gender parity and our 50/50 representation policy should be seen as a first step and not the end goal to combating gender inequality. If gender awareness and gender sensitivity are not pursued at all levels and taken seriously, then ideals of patriarchy will be impossible to dismantle.”

NAMIBIA-CRIME-DEMONSTRATION

‘A Risky Time For Gender Parity’

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HR-Picture-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49156" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HR-Picture-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HR-Picture-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HR-Picture-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HR-Picture-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HR-Picture.jpg 1211w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Let’s fight COVID-19 together: a mural painted by community artists, supported by the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, to deliver information and messages on COVID-19 through artistic illustrations along some of the busiest streets around Maringo and Kibera, two informal settlements in Nairobi. Photo credit: Defenders Coalition. </figcaption></figure>



On 10 December every year, we celebrate Human Rights Day, marking the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.&nbsp; The Universal Declaration guarantees a spectrum of human rights that belong to each of us equally, and unite us as a global community and upholds our humanity.



This year, 2020, has been one of unprecedented challenges and has underscored the need for renewed action to promote and protect human rights.&nbsp; The COVID-19 pandemic has tested societies across the globe, and set back human rights gains and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.&nbsp;



In Kenya, the multi-faceted impacts of the pandemic – on gender equality, health, education, livelihoods, rule of law and the economy – have tested efforts by the Government, United Nations, development partners and civil society to deliver on the 2030 Agenda, Vision 2030 and the Big 4 development agenda, and challenged us to ensure that we leave no one behind.



The crisis has hit the poorest and most vulnerable communities the hardest, and entrenched existing inequalities, discrimination and human rights challenges.&nbsp; Gender-based violence has skyrocketed; loss of employment and livelihoods have put further strain on families; the right to education is at risk for many children, particularly girls; and inequalities in access to water, adequate housing and health services have heightened vulnerabilities.



In this context, the theme of Human Rights Day 2020 is “Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights”, highlighting the need to build back better from the COVID-19 crisis by putting human rights at the heart of recovery efforts. &nbsp;This is a call to action and for unity of purpose to tackle discrimination, address inequalities, encourage participation and solidarity, and promote sustainable development for the benefit of all.



As the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, once remarked, “the pandemic has demonstrated the fragility of our world”. The crisis has exposed and exacerbated deep inequalities, entrenched discrimination and gaps in human rights protection.&nbsp; Only measures to close these gaps and advance human rights can ensure we fully recover and build back a world that is more resilient, just and sustainable.&nbsp;



COVID-19 has created an opportunity to build back a more equal and sustainable world – based on a “new social contract” that respects the rights and freedoms of all, and addresses the inequalities exposed by the pandemic.&nbsp; This “new social contract” – uniting Governments, the people, civil society and private sector – is the only way that we will meet the Sustainable Development Goals.



In this Decade of Action to deliver upon the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, it is imperative to prioritise participation and inclusion, to ensure that we leave no one behind. &nbsp;Successful COVID-19 recovery efforts require the robust participation of civil society and inclusion of communities, to ensure the voices and priorities of the most affected, vulnerable and marginalised inform the recovery efforts.&nbsp; Public participation is a key tenet of the Constitution of Kenya, and has a key role to play in the COVID-19 recovery.



It is clear that this pandemic cannot be surmounted by a single actor.&nbsp; It is against this backdrop that the United Nations Country Team and the Government of Kenya, in line with the motto Umoja ni Nguvu (Unity is Strength), have identified strategic areas of cooperation and engagement under the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, as well as the Socio-Economic Response Plan, that target COVID-19 recovery needs and continue the trajectory towards the Sustainable Development Goals.&nbsp; This is underpinned by a human rights-based approach that prioritises equality and non-discrimination, participation and inclusion, and accountability.



The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that we are all in this together – and solidarity is the only way forward.&nbsp; Everyone has a role to play in building a better post-COVID world for present and future generations, and we must harness the active participation of communities, civil society, private sector, Government and the international community.&nbsp;



On this Human Rights Day, let us all commit to Stand Up for Human Rights to build back a more equal and sustainable society that advances the rights and freedoms of all.&nbsp; This unity of purpose will pave the way to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals and delivering Kenya’s Vision 2030.



Siddharth Chatterjee is the United Nations Resident Coordinator to Kenya. He has served in various parts of the world with UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNOPS, UN Peacekeeping and the Red Cross Movement. He is an alumnus of Princeton University. Follow him on twitter-<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/sidchat1?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">@sidchat1</a>

Human rights must be at the heart of the COVID-19 recovery

If it hadn’t been for the pandemic, Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi would have been traveling the world on assignments. The South African relates how her reign has been diffferent, as she works from her current home in New York, continuing to advocate for gender equality. A special read as her home country celebrates Women’s Month.



What have the last few months of being a Miss Universe been like, with the hovering pandemic?&nbsp; My reign as Miss Universe has been a different one from the usual. Like everyone else, I have also had to social distance and work from home, which is very out of the norm for a Miss Universe.



What has been the best moment of your reign so far? It was getting to go home for the first time after winning. I had a whole week of ‘welcome back’ celebrations. To see the faces of young girls and women when they looked at me and seeing a possibility that their lives too can change in an incredible way was heart-warming. Before I won, I had said I wanted to win because I want young girls to look at me and see their faces reflected in mine, for them to see that their dreams too are valid. To actually go home finally and see it happening is a blessing I will never forget nor take for granted.



As Miss Universe, what are some of the main aspects of your job? The biggest part of the job is traveling the world doing different work, from charity work to entertainment and speaking engagements. Every Miss Universe has a different social cause close to her heart. We take the year to address those issues, be it educating or raising awareness.With the travel ban all over the world due to the pandemic, I have not been able to travel. My last trip was to Indonesia in March. Even though I have not been able to travel, I have still done most events virtually. I have used all my social media platforms to continue championing gender equality and issues of race and racism using a hashtag we created #UniverseUnited. With this hashtag, we have been able to open conversations about different social issues, we have been able to educate and entertain each other from every corner of the world.



When you won the crown, there were some negative comments about the win. How have you been able to rise above them? When you challenge the status quo and go against the grain, people will always have mixed comments and emotions so I cannot say I did not expect some resistance. For me, the most important thing was, and is still today, to fight for inclusion and representation. I want to live in a diverse, inclusive world. When I won, that was a victory and a win for representation and inclusion. That is what helps me rise above the negativity; knowing that there is a bigger picture that matters, and not focusing my time on non-entities that have no contribution to progress in this world.



People, particularly here in South Africa, are still celebrating your victory as Miss Universe especially because you advocate ‘natural beauty’. Why do you think it is important for representation of people of color in media and business? It has been said many times before that we can’t be what we can’t see. For me, this is one example of many on why representation is important. If the media continues presenting horrible stereotypes of black people or people of color, there is no progress happening. We need more positive messages and images of black people out there, for young people to see a possibility of what they can become. Seeing a black, natural-haired Miss Universe as a young black girl growing up in a rural area is enough to spark a fire inside someone to want to strive for more and be more. To see a black president is enough to steer a young black man to the direction of his incredible dream to influence and change the world in a beautiful way. To see a woman leading a nation or company is enough for women to recognize the power that they have within them, it is enough for them to not be scared to step into their power and take up space.



Given everything happening in the world where society is highlighting racial and gender inequalities across organizations, platforms and sectors, what would you as Miss Universe like to see changed before your reign is over? Conversations have been heard. I would now love to see more action and implementation. Companies and platforms have tweeted, and they have said amazing things about progress when it comes to systemic racism, now, I would like to see more of them actually doing something. Most of the world is functioning on systemic racism, I would like to see in the future [beyond my reign], the dismantling of these problematic systems from the ground-up.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="796" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-796x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-47067" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-796x1024.jpg 796w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-scaled-300x386.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-scaled-600x771.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-233x300.jpg 233w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-768x987.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-1195x1536.jpg 1195w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-1593x2048.jpg 1593w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Zozibini-Tunzi-scaled.jpg 1991w" sizes="(max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px" /></figure>



What do you say to people who regard pageants like Miss Universe as ‘anti-feminist’? We are all entitled to have different views and opinions about things. Miss Universe started as a swimsuit competition, which some may regard as objectifying women, so it’s not far off or shocking that some people feel this way. However, just like everything else, the pageant has evolved and is continuing to evolve every day. I have seen women come on this platform and champion a variety of social issues. I have seen them being empowered and empowering other women. As a Miss Universe, I have been able to amplify my message of gender equality and gender-based violence through incredible partnerships and relationships. I have been able to challenge and open conversations about beauty stereotypes that have been pushed on to women for many years. For me, it has always been about what I can do with this platform to influence positive change, not only in my community, but throughout the world.



Female empowerment is something you champion; can you tell us why this is so important to you? And also draw on how you would like to continue to empower women even beyond your reign as Miss Universe. I believe in the empowerment of every different kind of woman, regardless of gender or race. It is important because we need to get to a place where every gender is equal, one where we are not bound by patriarchy and inequality. Not only is it killing our future, but it is killing countries and economies. Women are just as capable as anyone else to get the job done, so let them do the job. It’s also not asking for special treatment — just equality.



Miss Universe is about sisterhood. Have your predecessors given you any advice during your reign and who has given the best advice (and what was the advice)? Yes, absolutely. The former winners have given advice whenever I speak to them. I think the one common advice they have given me is to focus on things that matter and what I want to achieve during my time as Miss Universe and to cancel out all the noise. Pageant fans can be brutal and toxic so it’s important to know why you are there and not lose focus.



You currently live in New York City, how has it been? What do you miss most about South Africa? It’s quite unfortunate I have not been able to experience New York extensively due to the pandemic, but the little that I have experienced has been great. What I miss the most about South Africa is my family, the diversity of my people and the food.



Looking at your recent partnership with 1st for women, what attracted you to the brand? It is the belief that 1st for women has in women; the belief in our resolve and power, and that we have space in this world to thrive just like everyone else. I also share these beliefs, and so that is why this is the perfect partnership.



Finally, what next after Miss Universe? Most of my plans I cannot disclose yet. What I can say though is that I will always champion gender equality and women’s rights even beyond my years as Miss Universe.

Empire State Building Hosts Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi

Miss Universe In The Time Of Covid-19: Zozibini Tunzi On Influencing Positive Change

One of the most powerful women in the world is teaming up with one of the richest women in the world—Melinda Gates and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/mackenzie-bezos/#efc49bc12948">MacKenzie Bezos</a>, respectively—to host a competition with one goal in mind: gender equality.



Gates and Bezos announced the competition, called the Equality Can’t Wait Challenge, through Pivotal Ventures, Gates’ investment and incubation company. The challenge will be managed by Lever For Change, a MacArthur Foundation affiliate, and will grant $30 million to the organizations (or the coalitions of organizations) with the best ideas for helping to expand women’s power and influence in the United States by 2030.



“Closing the gap on gender equality will benefit everyone. History keeps teaching us that when a diversity of voices is represented in decisions, the outcome is better for all,” MacKenzie Bezos said in a statement Tuesday. “I’m excited that the Equality Can’t Wait Challenge will focus energy and innovation on this vital catalyst for positive change.” 



“The entrenched inequalities that divide America—race, gender, class—will not go away without systems-wide change,” added Melinda Gates in a statement of her own. “This challenge is seeking bold ideas to dismantle the status quo and expand power and influence for women of all backgrounds.”&nbsp;



While Melinda Gates has <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinehoward/2015/11/23/the-first-woman-of-women-how-melinda-gates-became-the-worlds-most-powerful-advocate-for-women-and-girls/#7eae6d1a4414">long been an outspoken advocate</a> for women’s health and gender equality, Bezos has been quieter with her philanthropy and influence. Since finalizing her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos last year, Bezos has indicated her philanthropic intentions by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddawkins/2019/05/28/mackenzie-bezos-will-donate-half-her-fortune-to-giving-pledge/#e8b7ffc31d89">signing the Giving Pledge</a> (thereby committing at least half of her now-$51 billion fortune to charity) and joining the board of Blue Meridian, an organization dedicated to helping children and families in poverty. Her contribution to the Equality Can’t Wait initiative marks her biggest public gift to date.



A spokesperson for Lever for Change said that the competition had been in the works for the past six months, and that the timing of its announcement—just weeks after massive protests against systemic racial inequities started spreading across the nation—is not meant to be a reaction to the current reality, but a continuation of serious conversations.



Broadly, the challenge will look for ideas that help dismantle barriers that hold women back (including but not limited to sexual harassment and discrimination, racial inequity, and inadequate federal policies around caregiving); fast-track female participation in sectors like technology, government and entrepreneurship; and change outdated systems and beliefs around gender. Specifically,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.equalitycantwaitchallenge.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to the challenge’s website</a>, successful proposals should create real, measurable change for women in at least one of the following areas: wages and wealth, unpaid care, share of leadership roles, content creation (in other words, increasing the percentage of cultural and intellectual content created by women), and public perception.



&#8220;When I taught my first course on women in the U.S. economy back in 1985, a female full-time, year-round worker made 65 cents for every dollar earned by a man. In 2018, she earned 82 cents. That’s a raise of less than a penny a year,” noted Cecilia Conrad, the CEO of Lever for Change. She’s hopeful that the Equality Can’t Wait competition will accelerate parity in wages and societal treatment.



To participate in the challenge, organizations must register online by September 1, 2020; fuller applications are due by September 22. Finalists will be announced in early 2021, and winners will be chosen next summer. The $30 million in prize money will be divided among the two most compelling ideas (each will receive a minimum of $10 million) and the remaining finalists.



&#8211;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/">Maggie McGrath</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/forbeswomen">ForbesWomen</a>

gettyimages-1156268280-594×594

MacKenzie Bezos And Melinda Gates Team Up On $30 Million Gender Equity Contest

We, Men For Women

A marriage is made, in part, of compromises, and one of the biggest most women make straight off the altar is changing their name.
In a time where a strong digital footprint and good Google search results are part and parcel of the vetting process before hiring new employees, changing your name can have real career ramifications. According to a 2010 Dutch study quoted in Harvard Business Review, “A job applicant who took her partner’s name, in comparison with one with her own name, was less likely to be hired for a job and received nearly $500 less per month in salary.”
There’s no denying that many take their husband’s last names with joy, but for others, this patriarchal law became a tradition that hinders their career trajectory.
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This is especially true for modern marriages, where the median age for first-time marriages in South Africa (according to 2014 research by Statistics SA) is 30 for brides and 33 for grooms. As a study for the University of Nevada explains, “More common than ever before, women are earning more degrees than men and are taking on different roles than what was once expected of them. With this new freedom, women have shifted from playing a supportive role within society to branching out and creating their own established identity.”
By your 30s, most careers are well-established or are on a steady trajectory, and your name is your identity and brand.
This was not always the case. The custom of women taking their husband’s names started with the English common law practice called ‘coverture’, which essentially meant that for centuries – from the 1600s to the 1960s – women had no legal identity of their own.
“At birth, a female baby was covered by her father’s identity, and then, when she married, by her husband’s,” explains the National Women’s History Museum, “The husband and wife became one – and that one was the husband. As a symbol of this subsuming of identity, women took the last names of their husbands.”
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For Lize Sadie, content marketer, taking her husband’s extremely identifiable name (he is well-known within his industry, with a unique surname) would have hindered her career ambitions, and she chose not to take his name after marriage. She told us, “Having set up two businesses in my name and having built a reputation in the media and advertising industry over time, I didn’t want to jeopardize that in any way.”
She adds: “From a business point of view, the disruption for women who change their surname compared to men who do not is – in my opinion – quite unfair and rather unnecessary.”
For others, a changed surname proved a formidable hurdle. This was the case with Cindy-Lee Minnaar, a PR agency account director, who had trouble setting up her business in her maiden name after her divorce. Because of a legal ‘hangover’ in the South African legal system, Minnaar had her name automatically changed to her husband’s without her consent by Home Affairs. She only found this out when trying to register her business and says, “I went to Home Affairs to correct this and it literally took months! This deterred my business ventures and prospects. Now that my maiden surname is reinstated means that I can open a business bank account and trade with peace of mind.”
Aside from the potential career implications, changing a name also takes up a lot of administrative time, which is why sites like <a href="https://www.missnowmrs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MissNowMrs.com</a> and <a href="https://www.hitchswitch.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HitchSwitch.com</a> popped up in the US.
Unfortunately, South Africans don’t have this online freedom and need to physically go to Home Affairs to change all the necessary documents.
In the end, changing, or keeping, your name is an intensely personal decision that women make for a variety of reasons. Depending on your industry, and if managed correctly, a name change doesn’t have to hinder your career. Unfortunately, for many women, it does.
<h3>What South Africa’s female professionals say:</h3>
Lesego Marimo, Public Relations Industry (she changed her name): “Put yourself first when making such a decision. If you have already established a brand associated with your name, think about what will happen when you have to change it and if you will be able to handle what follows.”
Lize Sadie, Content Marketing (she kept her name): “It has made absolutely no difference to us that we do not share a surname. My husband is quite proud that we are slightly ‘different’ in that way, though the ignorance from some people is quite astounding; I remember a woman (with a corporate job, living in Cape Town) asking me why we got married if I didn’t want to take his surname. Then asking him if he is okay with it (as if I needed his permission)! Haha!”
Cindy-Lee Minnaar, PR Agency account director (she kept her name): “I think it&#8217;s less of a mission to keep your own surname personally and professionally. Mind you, my five year old daughter has asked me not so long ago why my surname is different to hers and I very politely told her that she has her dad&#8217;s surname, and I have my dad&#8217;s surname. She seemed satisfied with that answer.”
Jerusha Sukhdeo-Raath, Head of Video at News24 (she double-barrelled her name): “Changing my surname was one of the toughest decisions I had to make. I consulted every woman I respected on the issue. Some said they changed their names as a symbol of the start of their new family unit, others said they’d kept their name because a new family doesn’t require a new name. I made the best decision I could for my situation – I double-barrelled my surname creating a mouthful of a name that feels true to me.”
Kelli A. Hayes, Director of Corporate Strategy and Business Development (she kept her name): “My views on gender equality were a huge factor in my decision around keeping my surname. It is incredibly unfair that changing surnames is a woman&#8217;s burden – no one even asked my spouse about it. Also, I&#8217;ve moved a lot, which has resulted in friends all over the world, and I don&#8217;t want it to be hard for them to find me in the future. Everyone seems to have an opinion about this. Ignore them and concentrate on what works for you, your spouse, and your relationship. Societal pressure and expectations shouldn&#8217;t determine such a personal identity decision.”
Suhaifa Naidoo, Founder of Mashup Marketing, Digital Marketing Strategist (she kept her name): “Because my husband is a different race to me, many people think we are not married or not married legally. Our family has been amazing; no one has ever questioned this. I am lucky that we both come from very liberal and open-minded backgrounds.”
Helpful Tip: Use an intermediary surname
Says TIME magazine:  “Use both surnames, either by making your maiden name your middle name, using both last names, or creating a hyphenated last name. Kim [Kardashian] took this approach initially. Shortly after exchanging vows with Kanye [West], she changed the name on her social media accounts to Kim Kardashian West. And just as Kim has done, you can use both surnames for a brief transition period to help people get used to your new identity before dropping your maiden name.”
&#8211; Written by Samantha Steele

Tag: gender equality