Gloria Steinem said, “Don’t think about making women fit for the world- think about making the world fit women”. March 8 of every year is set aside by the United Nations (UN) to be observed globally as International Women’s Day. It is a day dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements, recognizing their contributions to society, and raising awareness about the challenges they face.
Women are strongholds that keep the economy of a country running. Globally, statistics show that Less than 50% of working-age women are in the labour market, a figure that has barely changed over the last quarter of a century. According to the UN world population prospects, it was gathered that as of 2021, the population of females in the world is estimated at 3,904,727,342 or 3,905 million or 3.905 billion thus representing 49.58% of the world population. The world is set to have 65,511,048 or 65.51 million more than males.
There are so many challenges faced by women which include the gender pay gap, Sexual and gender-based violence and under-representation of women in business, politics, and other professions, which limits their ability to influence public policy and make decisions. Women in Nigeria face a plethora of challenges ranging from social expectations, cultural stereotypes, gender discrimination and lack of access to healthcare. Despite some progress being made in the past years, these challenges have persisted and it is vital to address them to harness a more inclusive society.
Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), Managers of Ireti Resource Centre joined the rest of the world in commemorating International Women’s Day by hosting a Webinar on the theme “DIGIT ALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender equality”.
During the webinar, we discussed how gender equality can be promoted through digital accessibility in Nigeria and globally. Participants at the webinar included executives and representatives of Civil Society Organizations, Women’s Rights Organizations and Young persons (male and female).
From the robust interactions, key recommendations include;
- The need for a concerted effort by state and non-state actors to ensure digital technology is accessible and affordable to all women and girls.
- To ensure ongoing mentorship programs for women and girls on how to access digital accessibility.
- Strong partnerships with organizations (public and private) to promote digital technology for women and girls.
- Putting in place and implementing policies that will promote continuity in digital technology for women and girls.
- Increase funding by the government and other key partners to promote innovation and technology in the digital space for women and girls.
Remember, Women’s rights are human rights. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring a just society where women can live free from discrimination and oppression. By leveraging technology as a tool, a more equal world where the gender gap is closed and gender equality is promoted will be achieved.
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