As Women’s Month in South Africa slowly fades into the distance, so will the majority of political commentary against gender-based violence and the economic inequality experienced by women in our country. While some might have leveraged women’s month as a means to score political points, the majority of South Africans commemorated this period as a reminder of the many ways in which women today still experience hardship through different facets of their lives.
While the lack of progress from a political perspective may appear discouraging, we should not shy away from recognising the great work, innovation, and progress that is emerging from both the private and non-profit sectors in creating a more just and equal world for women in South Africa today.
We can find such inspiration in the latest developments from the FemTech sector, which is proving to give women the upper hand through technology. Short for female technology, FemTech refers to a category of software or digital-based products or services that are geared towards women’s health, empowering women to have more knowledge of their health and to make more informed decisions.
The technology emerging from this market provides several key functions and solutions. These include menstrual calendars that help women track their menstrual cycle from their start to end date, flow intensity, key symptoms, and mood swings, empowering women with a means to log data regarding their cycles to better understand their menstrual patterns and identify any irregularities or changes over time.
Fertility tracking tools empower users with ovulation predictors and reminders, fertility window tracking, basal body temperature charting, and ovulation test integration, streamlining successful conception and family planning. Once conception is achieved, these apps also offer pregnancy and postpartum careby providing prenatal education resources, postpartum recovery guides, and breastfeeding support, guaranteeing that women do not feel lost in their pregnancy journey and can have a healthy and well-supported recovery after birth.
As women progress through their lives, fears of the arrival of menopause and its effects remain in the minds of many. FemTech apps now offer women menopause support as well, with trackers for hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. Women expecting the potential onset of menopause can be empowered to manage their symptoms effectively and gain valuable insights into their condition through the regular use of FemTech solutions.
The industry goes a step further, providing new opportunities and easier access to assistance where needed. FemTech apps are now capable of providing telemedicine and teleconsultations through virtual appointments with gynecologists, obstetricians, therapists, and other healthcare professionals. This bodes well for those living in underserved, remote, or rural communities, increasing access to healthcare services they ordinarily would have gone without. For women in these communities, especially in a country as vast as South Africa, timely interventions can be acted upon to prevent further danger to their health and enhance patient-provider communication overall.
The world-famous Flo App offers a significant practical example, as it is objectively one of the most popular apps in the global FemTech market today, with over 200 million downloads and more than 50 million active monthly users. The app provides several of the functions listed prior, while simultaneously offering an opportunity to engage with other users in an effort to create a supportive community that is underpinned by shared experiences, ensuring women do not feel alone in their efforts for improved health outcomes.
This industry has seen remarkable growth in recent years, driven by increased awareness and investment in women’s health, coupled with the rising popularity of smartphone apps for everyday use. The FemTech market is projected to exceed $75 billion by 2025, two times larger than what it was in 2020, overshadowing its status 11 years ago, when the industry barely totaled $134 million per year. Starting with its first tech start-up, Glow, a period and ovulation tracking app, the industry boasted over 1000 start-ups in 2020, with a substantial number of them led by women.
The industry is a testament to how practical solutions, driven by women, can empower other women.
For those of us living in South Africa, women’s empowerment is usually discussed along the lines of curbing GBV and reforming the economy for more equality. While these are equally important, women can only function to the best of their ability if they are empowered to take care of their health – just like any human being, for that matter. This is exactly why FemTech is such a crucial component in the overall effort to create a more equal world for women today.
Nevertheless, FemTech does not need to be limited to health-centric solutions. Besides women’s health, other needs can also be improved through custom software development and innovation. Take the example of the Fundza Literacy Trust, a data-free mobisite that offers free digital reading and writing platforms for young South Africans, 81% of them women. In accordance with UNESCO’s stance on mother tongue-based education, the Fundza mobisite offers content in many of South Africa’s official languages and encourages users to write and submit their own stories, articles, and other material in the language of their choice. This results in a wide range of content for users, especially women, in improving their literacy and writing skills over time.
Flo App and the Fundza mobisite demonstrate that there is a growing desire for personalised apps, fuelled by a user’s desire to be engaged and satisfied. This is particularly true when it comes to women.
The future development of this industry must be built in a manner that seeks to plug any gaps with innovative technology. In fact, no rule limits FemTech to health-related technology alone. The industry can be expanded to cover all other areas where women experience inequality. Could we expand into developing mobile-based apps that provide 24/7 counseling for rape victims? Could we conduct feasibility studies on online workplace coaching for women, to give them the upper hand in interviews to secure the working opportunities they have earned and deserve?
The space for imagination and innovation is limitless. Technology has the potential to create convenience. Like the many women who have spearheaded existing startups in the FemTech space, true visionaries can lead the world into embracing more solutions.
