The technology sector is taking off globally. But the number of women venturing into the industry is far lower than men. Pricewaterhouse Coopers estimates just 19% of tech jobs are held by women at the world's top 10 companies. Boardrooms are also male-dominated, with women holding just 28% of leadership positions in tech. It's a tide that many are hoping to turn. CGTN's Julie Scheier went to one conference in Johannesburg, looking to do just that.

These are a few of South Africa's young women who are at the forefront of efforts to accelerate the country's technological development. Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming our lives. But in South Africa, the fields of Science, Technology Engineering and Maths are less attractive to women.

ALATHA PINYANA STUDENT "There needs to be a change, we identified that there needs to be gender equality amongst us, but there hasn't been a drive of what we want to see, we want to see CEO's, we want to see women take charge, we want to see women take seats at the table as what was described today."  

One of the main reasons is education. Female students are less likely to take an interest in STEM subjects in school or to take up these careers.  

DR. JUDY DLAMINI BUSINESSWOMAN "There are initiatives by the academic institutions to actually say lets keep a tab on girls that are actually taking up STEM subjects, it has improved, its not where it is supposed to be but it has improved. We just need that more effort from leadership in all spheres of society to debunk the myth that STEM subjects are only for boys or a certain race, they are for anyone. Everyone has the aptitude to do it, its just the encouragement and of course improving quality education at primary level."  

Judy Dlamini is a qualified medical doctor and a self-made businesswoman. Dlamini was not afraid of going after her dreams, a trait she hopes to instill in younger generations.

DR. JUDY DLAMINI BUSINESSWOMAN "I have never been scared of anything. I have never allowed negativism around me, to make me feel negatively, every negative challenge I have used it to actually generate positive energy. I am not scared, I do think it's going to be tough. So it is going to take a lot of effort from each one of us trying to help, trying to sell the STEM subjects to children in the townships, in the rural areas where the development is at the least."  

BOIKHUTSO MOKOTO STUDENT "I think it is a good pairing to drive the change and move towards the 4th industrial revolution instead of looking at it as this big monster that we may be intimidated by, I think we have a long way to go in the actual technical development within the STEM subjects within our own people but I think we are moving in that direction."  

NICOLE MORRIS, LEADERSHIP UNIT MANAGER WITS UNIVERSITY "We would like them to live here today purpose driven, so take that sense of purpose and convert it into action, leave here saying I am going to go back to my community or in my home and I am going to go and make a difference not only academically or economically, but start something, start a movement."  

JULIE SCHEIER JOHANNESBURG "There is still a long way to go for women to be considered equal to men in the workplace. But, there needs to be more focus on gender equality in order for females to take total advantage of the unprecedented opportunities presented by the digital age. JS, CGTN, JHB, SA."