Gender mainstreaming ezine jan 2017

Enabling women to thrive Telkom Business Connexion runs several initiatives aimed at empowering women and creating the supportive work environment required to succeed. The organisation has implemented specific platforms to empower women, such as an internship programme, management development programmes and women mentorship programmes. These programmes are designed to help young women grow, develop and become empowered, which, in turn, creates sustainability.

According to Daniella Nerwich, Managing Executive HR Business Partnering at Telkom Business Connexion, corporate South Africa still has a long way to go in changing its perceptions about women. “I recall going for an external interview and in the interview, there were two questions that really jarred me. The first question was if I was going to have any more children. The second was if I realised that this was a man’s job,” she says. “Gender mainstreaming is a big focus at Telkom Business Connexion and one example of this is an active women forum, called the Women Connect Forum.

The Women Connect programme combines mentorship and community engagement to enrich the lives of women in and outside of Telkom Business Connexion. “As part of the mentorship programme, we connect mentors and mentees from across the organisation and run through a series of modules and workshops that enable them to face the different challenges they experience in the workplace”, says Nerwich.

Taking it beyond just the organisation Telkom Business Connexion is about to launch its third programme which also encourages participants to engage with and positively impact the communities touched by the organisation. “During the month of August, the Women Connect Forum appealed to the women in our 6