CHAPTER FOUR
4.6 The Women in Research Report (1999)
The "Women in Research" report was produced by the Centre for Science Development (CSD) of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). It was an audit of women researchers and academics in the Humanities and Social Sciences and was a collaboration of the CSD and a number of women in the wider research and academic community .
In its introduction it is stated that for the report to become a reality a large number of men and women went through series of workshops, seminars and group discussions before the final questionnaire was developed (CSD 1999: 1). This introduction meant that serious preparation was undertaken before the empirical work got off the ground.
This detail signified the seriousness of the effort.
Of the 1323 respondents to the questionnaire, close on half were from HWUs, 28%
were from HBUs, 13% from HWTs and 9% from HBTs. Close to three quarters of the
respondents were Whites, one in six African, 8% Indian and 3% Coloured. The
overwhelming majority of respondents, (92%), were involved in teaching students. A
little under half of those with teaching duties were involved in graduate research
projects, while 42% were enrolled for a higher degree or diploma. Close to six on every
ten respondents were engaged in research other than for degree purposes and a further 37% said they intended to undertake such research in the next two years. There were several impediments quoted regarding the lack of research efforts on the part of the interviewees, the most important being the lack of time; child-minding duties and the lack of support from other women.
Over three-quarters of the respondents indicated they would like further training in research related skills, including computer skills.
A number of regional workshops were set in order to discuss the draft report and set recommendations for the future (CSD 1999:1-4). The researcher who undertook the project utilised both primary and secondary sources of data in the analysis, including official documents.
In terms of rank and positions, the report indicated that even during the last years of the 20th century, and despite the existence of new progressive legislation, women were in a very disadvantaged position when compared to their male colleagues. Thus 45% of the respondents were in the lecturer/researcher position/rank, 6% were Associate Professors, 7% were heads of Departments/Directors and only 5 (0%) were Deans.
There were 5 African Professors and one dean, while there was not even one Indian professor or Dean. However, there were 66 White female Associate Professors as well as 4 Deans (CSD 1999:13-14). The disproportionate number of White respondents in the study could be seen as a significant reason for such findings, but the realities of gross inequalities at all levels are very evident.
It was reported that women were active in research, research related activities such as participation in conferences, their institutions research structures and recorded various achievements over the last five years such as academic and research publications, attendance of national and international conferences, curriculum development projects and similar activities (CSD 1999:25).
There were conflicting findings in relation to the perceptions and realities of the levels of institutional support as expressed by the interviewees while there were no serious problems with racism as an impediment. Employees at Black universities had serious complaints regarding the existing institutional library resources and support for their research efforts as well as some lack of access to computer facilities. In regard to the latter case, it became obvious in the research findings that the facilities at HWUs were of a much higher quality when compared to those of the HBUs (CSD 1999:31-32).
There was very wide interest on the part of the majority of respondents in relation to computer and non-computer related training, while a wide variety of reasons were advanced for doing research (CSD 1999:33-34). There were also serious complaints from a number of respondents regarding the workloads in both teaching and administration, while weak and inadequate funding on the part of institutions such as the HSRC was stressed. The number of research grants awarded by the CSD for the period
1997/1998,were heavily skewed in favour of men (66% as compared to 34% of women) (CSD 1999: 39). These were factors that stressed the existing inequalities and needed to be addressed seriously at all levels.
Mentorship and supervision, as well as networking and collaborative research, were seen as key components of a continuous and incremental process that could bear fruits for the future. Based on the empirical findings of the study under examination, these were seen as important.
A long list of recommendations was produced upon the finalisation of the report and
the various regional workshops that followed identified a large number of technical,
administrative and logistical components that could be streamlined and rectified in the
process that was to follow the findings of the study. In those proposals and
recommendations some of the most important issues raised were:
• Women should be encouraged to research women's issues.
• Forums should be established for women to present their proposals before they were submitted to the CSD.
• There should be quotas for women in research.
• There should be encouragement for more women to apply for rewards.
• There should be more awards for women.
• Names of women researchers should be circulated to other institutions and researchers.
• CSD should encourage further investigation into the Issue of women researchers and academics.
• CSD could establish a regional center for women researchers.
• There should be serious and consistent networking between all women researchers.
• Women should collaborate consistently.
• Women need to protect their research time.
• Women should demand that their institutions ensure access to time, resources and technology.
• Women should lobby for the provision of creche and other similar facilities.
• Women should lobby for additional funds for research and substitute lecturers.
• Women should lobby for mentorships.
• Women should lobby for institutional awards for females throughout the disciplines.
• Young female researchers should be encouraged in their endeavours.
• Women should be encouraged to investigate ways that they can work through existing professional organisations for their research advancement.