By Aaron Ukodie
The federal government has urged ICT industry players and women affirmative action groups to take specific steps to increase the number of women participating in the ICT industry.
The permanent secretary, federal ministry of communication and digital economy, Mr Musa Istifanus, said at a two-day workshop on women connect strategic framework, held last week in Lagos, that the number of women playing actively in the ICT sector is unacceptable and several actions need to be taken to address the situation.
He said existing studies, across all countries, show that women are 21 per cent less likely to own mobile phones or access ICT services than men, while in Nigeria, the number is about 23 percent.
According to him, while women constitute 50 per cent of the population, studies have shown that only about 5 per cent are actually participating in the ICT economy
Many, he said, are unable to have access to products and services as well as literacy thereby creating opportunities for expansion of demand which will boost revenue for ICT industry operators and vendors and consequently for government.
He said women are constrained to have access to ICT due to affordability, relevance of ICT to their lives, lack of digital skills and cultural factors.
Since digital technologies have become a powerful force for socio economic development, delivering substantial benefits for both individuals and society the gap that exists in women involvement in ICT must be addressed to ensure that women are not being left behind, Istifanus
Digital technology is revolutionizing the world by providing access to information, finance and networks—all of which are necessary for women to reach their full economic potential and create more self-reliant communities, he added.
When women are economically empowered, they invest back into their families and communities, producing a multiplier effect that spurs growth and stability, according to Istifanus.
He said the reason the women Connect Strategic Framework has been conceptualized is to enable Nigeria benefit from the Inclusion of women as consumers, employees and leaders in the ICT ecosystem.
According to him the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is ready to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to close the digital gender divide and provide women with the necessary skills and tools to participate in the digital economy.
“The Ministry will do everything to ensure that ICT is given prominence as a powerful means to advance women’s rights, empowerment and gender equality”, he said, adding that “ we must not settle for “smart” societies, but also aspire for societies where ICT works for the poor and vulnerable regardless of their location. For us, ICT is a game-changer for women and girls”.
The women strategic framework is expected to articulate action points for moving the initiative forward and roles for critical stakeholders.
At the workshop stakeholders considered a draft digital inclusion framework developed by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
At the end of the two-day workshop participants, which included several women from federal ministries, Lagos state ministry of communication technology and representatives of women in technology welcomed the development of the Women Digital Inclusion Framework aimed at up scaling women participation in the digital economy.
They endorsed the Women Digital Inclusion Framework for implementation and recommended eleven action items to be implemented by identified stakeholders towards fast tracking women digital inclusion in Nigeria.
