The Innovation Hub at WomHub in Cape Town was buzzing with energy on 12 September 2025, as university students, researchers, and practitioners gathered for the W20 Outreach event. Co-hosted by W20, UN Women and WomHub, the session created a dynamic space to reflect on one of the most pressing issues facing young women today: how to successfully navigate the journey from education into meaningful STEM careers.

Facilitated by Naadiya Moosajee (WomHub), Neo Mofokeng (UN Women), Lorenza Fluks and Dane Isaacs (HSRC and W20 Delegates), the event set out to go beyond theory. Speakers brought their real-life journeys, highlighting the resilience, determination, and creativity it takes to thrive in male-dominated fields. Emma Mphahlele (UN Women African Girls Can Code Initiative) emphasised the importance of global solidarity in ensuring that young women gain digital skills for the future. Lisa Adams, founder of Citizen Code, shared lessons from building tech solutions for development, while Fatima Jakoet from the Sakhikamva Foundation spoke passionately about her work breaking barriers as a pilot, engineer, and entrepreneur. Serisha Barrat, the force behind LawyeredUP, reminded participants of the power of entrepreneurship in reimagining career pathways.

Academia and research were equally well represented, with insights from Prof. Anita Bosch (Stellenbosch Business School) on mentally preparing young people for entering workspaces that might not be ready to receive them due to socio-cultural differences and their traditional male-dominated nature. Philadelphia Vutivi Ngobeni (doctoral researcher in civil engineering, UCT) and Dr Nikita Pillay (Postdoctoral Fellow, Stellenbosch Business School) each highlighted how STEM research and leadership can open doors while also exposing the persistent barriers women continue to face.

The discussions were interactive and authentic, with students actively engaging speakers on their insights about what it takes to walk this journey as a woman in STEM. They shared their thoughts on how global leaders, and especially the G20 through the Women20 engagement group, could respond to their aspirations for inclusion and economic opportunity.

The event concluded with a powerful message: young women in STEM from South Africa are prepared to claim their space, provide solutions, and shape the digital economy while following their distinct paths. Their voices, grounded in lived experience, are vital to informing the policy advocacy that W20 brings to the global stage.