CSO Seeks Inclusion, Support For Women In Digital Technology

The Global Rights, a human rights organisation, has urged for the inclusion of women in the digital technology industry and the necessity of promoting girls' and women's engagement in ICT for a sustainable economy.

The request was made at a conversation on "Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: Celebrating Women in Tech" in Abuja by Edosa Oviawe, Programme Manager, Global Rights, along with professionals in the digital technology industry.

According to Oviawe, global rights saw that there were still hurdles for women in Nigeria's IT industry and chose to commemorate and bring older women who had overcome these challenges to serve as role models for younger ones.

“There is need for us to continue to have conversations around these issues and to showcase women who have actually broken some of those barriers and ventured into some of those areas people used to see as difficult areas for women.

“So we thought we should have this conversation in this women’s month to inspire younger women that are aspiring into this area of technology in particular by hearing the older ones share their experiences and stories.

“That way, younger women can be inspired to venture into these areas.”

Oviawe said that gender-based violence is a significant obstacle that women encounter in the tech industry.

“Some of those barriers women face are enormous. We hear every day how the issues have arisen because technology facilitates gender-based violence as women are constantly being intimidated by unknown faces on social media.

“So this programme is another reminder to all of us to bond to fight all forms of violence against women and to eliminate all forms of barriers limiting women from fully attaining their potential.”

The creator of Womenovate, Motunrayo Opayinka, also spoke, urging people to embrace technology while including women. The 2023 International Women's Day celebration's theme is "Digital," she stated.

According to Opayinka, the 42 trillion dollars economic loss caused by women's underrepresentation in STEM fields is a global phenomenon.

“This is a global pandemic and steps and initiatives need to be taken to close that gender gap.

“We need to have more women being participative and inclusive in the tech sector in designing new technology and bringing diversity into the whole tech space.

“So it’s important that we embrace equity, beyond equality, equity, meaning that we meet our woman wherever each is and embrace them to come into tech .”

Opayinka stated that it was important to encourage children to use technology.

She said that in order for younger people to desire to pursue IT jobs and work in the industry, there was a need for more women in leadership positions as well as a need to highlight and model female tech leaders.

Overall, she claimed, the globe will gain from it since gender diversity is an epidemic that affects the entire world, not just Nigeria.

“We must embrace and have more women inclusion and participate in tech.”

According to Opayinka, Womenovate is a software platform for women in STEM that offers them tools and resources to pursue STEM professions and launch profitable STEM enterprises.

Ladidi Abdulmumuni, a participant and data analyst, commended global rights for the effort to assist young digital girls.

“To be honest, being in this kind of training brings out the giant in me because it tells you that there is so much that you can offer.

“Having heard successful women talk about their achievements, have learnt a lot, and so I won’t give up,” she said