Expert wants barriers hindering women from participating in economic devt. removed
Women
By Constance Imasuen
Abuja, April 26, 2019 (NAN) Mr Peter Akinremi, an ICT Expert, has urged Federal Government to
produce legal instruments that will address the social, cultural and technological barriers that limit
the participation of women in economic development.
Akinremi, who is the West African Regional Coordinator of African Civil Society for the Information Society (ACSIS),
an NGO, made the call in an Interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
He spoke against the backdrop of the 2019 International Girls in ICT Day.
International Girls in ICT Day is a day recognised around the world, and held every fourth Thursday in
April to support the creation of global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women into economic development
activities.
The regional director said “boys and young men should also be encouraged to consider careers in the growing field of
Information Communication Technology (ICTs).
Akinremi added that culture must give room to women to explore growing development, noting that “technology stories
must spring up in every corner of our cities.
“And women should also be seen to be part of such technology stories so as to be comfortable and be part of the system.”
He explained that for women to find their way into the tech industry, schools, parents and the society must play critical roles.
He, therefore, urged government to be the lead player in driving the initiative to ensure that more women and girls embraced ICT and the digital world.
He said “government should be part of the main players of the campaign and initiative to close the digital divide that exists in the technology environment.
“Though the tech industry is dominated by men, it is not the intention of men to dominate the industry.
“Since this dominance is glaring, then we must all find ways to balance it.
“The perception of the society of what the tech industry is must change. We must adopt a new system of working and learning that accommodates
both men and women.”
He, however, urged government to ensure equal priority for both women and men in the society, while facilitating an innovative and favorable environment.
Akinremi also urged women to develop interest in the tech industry by challenging themselves to embrace the different tech roles created through the changing economy.
He added that more community awareness programmes and initiatives should be encouraged and technology hub centres empowered and strengthened
to spur more women to embrace ICT as career.
The regional director said government must also ensure adequate attention to educational system to accommodate flexibility and a new learning
system that could help to integrate more women as tech-oriented, not only as users of ICT products.
Mr Babayo Damisah, the Chief Executive Officer, Damisah Creative, an ICT company, said that concentrating on girls to embrace career in
technology may not really be the case as nation’s rate of unemployment was high.
He said ICT was a platform where a lot of youths should be employed, including girls and women so that they could also make their mark toward nation building.
He added that “globally, ladies are being equipped to embrace ICT and Nigeria as a country must go along same line of growth by bringing
adequate awareness to girls who may not know about ICT.
“Government should encourage youths in ICT by creating social platforms like clubs where they can interact, network, learn and grow.
“We have such clubs like America Girls Encoding, Coding for Ladies and so many of them and Nigeria as a country should replicate this feat.
“Such clubs must not necessarily be in schools but in communities and down to the grassroots, where the less privileged in the society
can get access to the IT world.”
Damisa, who said it was cheaper to set up an Information Technology firm than an industry, stressed the need
for government to invest more in the sector and to develop human capacity. (NAN)
COA/HA
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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu