A survey conducted with 200 young female learners supported by the Ruta Sechaba Foundation (RSF) has revealed there is an profound belief that by 2050, leadership in society will be overwhelmingly female.
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It is also forecasts that the key priority areas for these future leaders include addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and rampant crime, gender inequality, and rooting out corruption and ensuring greater accountability.
The Ruta Sechaba Foundation is a non-profit organisation which identifies and places learners from underprivileged backgrounds at Curro schools across South Africa.
RSF spokesperson Natasha Mkhize said the study was a focused learner survey to gather key insights and personal stories from girls in Grades 8 to 12.
According to Mkhize, 90% of the respondents “believe girls will lead more than boys by the time they are adults”.
“This is incredibly powerful and visionary in terms of how young girls, who are now between the ages of 14 and 18, see themselves and other females in 10, 15 or 25 years from now.
“We believe the survey was important to understand and help convey the collective voice of South Africa’s next generation of women leaders, to showcase their hopes, fears, and determination to reshape the country, and the world at large, by 2050.”
The learners repeatedly defined leadership as confidence, resilience, empathy, standing for what is right, and uplifting others.
“The question we have to ask ourselves then, is how do we support these young women – our future leaders – in becoming all that they can be?” Mkhize said.
Key findings of the survey
Top issues girls want to change in South Africa by 2050:
- GBV and crime reduction
- Gender inequality in leadership, pay, and opportunity
- Corruption and government accountability
- Better education access and quality for all
- Economic stability and job creation
- Environmental protection and climate change action
Learner insights
A learner at Curro Protea Glen in Gauteng who is interested in a career in digital marketing and advertising, said her vision for 2050 was one of “women empowerment, financial literacy being taught everywhere, and technological advancements” to bring about greater opportunity and equality.
A learner at Curro Serengeti in Gauteng is aiming to become an economist and boldly stated that by 2050 “there should be no one living below the poverty line in South Africa”.
By 2050 “the GBV, kidnapping and crime rates should have dropped rapidly,” said a learner at Curro Secunda High School in Mpumalanga, who hopes to become a clinical psychologist. “Living in South Africa as a girl demolishes any hope of having a future because we are always in fear of getting killed next.”
A Curro Heritage House (KwaZulu-Natal) learner said: “By 2050 I want to see increased energy security and the diversification of South Africa's energy mix, including renewable energy sources which would reduce our reliance on coal. This would enhance energy security, reducing the risks associated with price volatility and supply disruptions.”
Mkhize said: “There is a clear moral and economic imperative in wanting to address GBV, inequality, ensuring access to quality education, greater economic opportunities, and working towards a cleaner environment, all of which these young leaders realise will unlock South Africa’s full potential.”
Future leaders
The survey participants listed leadership, technological skills, empathy, creativity and critical thinking as key future skills.
On a global level, the learners highlighted gender inequality, healthcare reform, climate change, education inequality and mental health stigma as issues requiring urgent attention.
“These young women have an incredibly strong commitment to changing the world for the better,” Mkhize said.
Many of the participants expressed the wish that adults would listen more to their ideas and perspectives, without dismissing these as “teenage drama”.
Mkhize added: “What came out so clearly is the desire to be taken seriously now, and not ‘someday when older’.”
“This speaks into their vision of a powerful woman who stands her ground and knows her worth,” she said. “We would do well to listen to them because they are the voices and leaders of the future, and these young women are determined to be a part of shaping their own futures now.”
Mkhize encouraged the public, private, and civil sectors to actively create platforms for mentorship opportunities and for policy discussions and changes to include girls in decision-making processes.
