As the world marked, the International Women Day (IWD) yesterday, the President, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has said innovation and technology have the potential to create more opportunities for women, reduce gender disparities, promote digital literacy, reduce cyberbullying, increase employment opportunities, enhance productivity and breakdown traditional barriers.
In a statement, Osifo said it was important to ensure that technology was developed and used in a way that would be all-encompassing and does not reinforce existing gender biases.
The statement noted that a sustainable future was dependent upon development of inclusiveness for transformative technology and digital education, adding that there was hope for the future if women brace up to involvement in the technology field, breaking down barriers and making giant strides in the industry.
It further explained that there was need to promote women engagement in innovation and technology for gender equity by providing greater access to education for girls and women in areas where traditional educational opportunities are limited, adding that this has the potential to break down barriers such as distance, poverty, and discrimination.
Furthermore, it stated that there was need to provide new opportunities for women entrepreneurs to access markets, funding and resources, noting that it was important to ensure monitoring and analysing pay disparities, identify problem areas, and create solutions to bridge the gap.
It pointed out that creating reporting mechanisms for gender-based violence and providing support to victims/survivors was also important.
According to the statement, “This year’s theme ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’ with a campaign theme #embraceequity, highlights the need to harness the power of innovation and technology to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.
“As a union, we recognise this potential and we are committed to leveraging technology to support women’s advancement in the oil and gas industry.
“Innovation and technology have been a driving force in the global economy. Over the past few years, we have seen significant strides towards gender equality in various spheres of life, but there is still a long way to go.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Feminist Forum has called on the Nigerian government to realise that the technology industry needs gender diversity to continue to thrive.
It tasked the government to urgently address gender gaps in the National Information Communication and Technology Policy by reviewing it to ensure that it reflects the realities of women’s access to technology and make provisions that advance women’s rights to ICT in the country including
This was contained in a communique at the end of this year’s IWD, a copy of which was made available to THISDAY in Lokoja, yesterday.
They urged the government to close the digital gender gap by ensuring that women and girls have equal access to digital technologies, including affordable internet and digital devices.
Furthermore, they advised the government to, “promote women’s participation and representation in the technology sector, by addressing barriers to entry and increasing access to training and education.
“Leverage technology to address gender-based violence and discrimination against women and girls, through the development of digital tools and platforms that support survivors and provide access to justice.
“Use data and technology to address gender inequalities in economic opportunities, including access to education, training, employment, and fair wages.”
