Prof Adele Da Veiga from the School of Computing – University of South Africa (UNISA)

Womanity - Women in Unity

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Adele Da Veiga from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who has a special interest in information security culture as well as data privacy. Her research raises important questions for consumers and businesses about what information can be disclosed; what measures are in place to protect information; where information is stored; how information is used; and who information is shared with. She notes that 74% of data breaches in organisations are a result of human error (social engineering). Data privacy at an organisational level is one concern but as citizens we have a responsibility to know our rights and protect our own information. The technology sector offers a wide range of opportunities for women, however women tend to be underrepresented in various fields. For example, women make up 25% of the global cybersecurity workforce, and when we consider the continent, women comprise just 9% of Africa’s cybersecurity personnel. Incorporating women into the labour market introduces skills diversity and increases capacity which improves productivity of organisations and simultaneously benefits economies. To inspire more women to take up technology based roles, these topics need to be included in school curricula to give girls exposure to alternative options. Technology development is accelerating, and people need to keep abreast of using innovative resources like artificial intelligence. Lifelong learning and pushing your boundaries contribute to personal growth. Prof Da Veiga encourages women to set goals and drive them forward, and reminds us that every day might not be a good day, but there is some good in every day. Tune in for more….