Victoria Mgbanwa
The Executive Director, DIGICIVIC initiative, Mojirayo Oluwatoyin Ogunlana, has said women may not be able to achieve any significant influence in the digital policy making and implementation space, due to their under representation in the ICT sector.
Ogunlana made the disclosure in a validation meeting on report of survey on the Presence of women in decision making of National ICT Agencies organized by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) .
The Executive Director stated that the low turn up of women in ICT sector will affect the quality of policies arrived at in terms of effectively addressing the gender digital divide.
Ogunlana highlighted that, “Examining the data retrieved in this research, there is an under representation of women in the sector. It means that women may not be able to achieve any significant influence in the digital policy making and implementation in the country as it is a known fact that the decrease in women representation and opportunities for engaging in policy making decisions also affects the quality of policies arrived at in terms of effectively addressing the gender digital divide’, she said.
The institutions in which she conducted her survey include ; The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), Galaxy Backbone, Federal Ministry of Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigeria Data Protection Commission and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).
In her recommendation, she said CITAD should collaborate with stakeholders, CSOs, NGOs government to achieve their aim in ensuring gender equality, and also stressed the need to engage legislators to pass the five gender bills that were presented before the 10th assembly.
“There is a need for a very strong advocacy plan that should involve stakeholder solidarity and collaborations. Collaborations are necessary for achieving concentrated impact. These partnerships should be aimed at engaging government from a united front”, she said.
According to her, the purpose for engagement is to advice government to take urgent action to enforce laws and policies ensuring gender equality, such as the revised National Gender Policy 2021-2026 that represents a set of minimum standards expected of Nigerian government to meet its mandate for gender equality.
“Media and publicity is another strategy to be considered. This is for the purpose of creating awareness campaigns, pushing for legislative reforms, and undertaking community engagements.
“Finally, it may be expedient to join forces with CSOs and NGOs promoting gender equality to engage legislators to pass the five gender bills that were presented before the 10th assembly.
“These bills address salient issues that would be relevant for the increased inclusion of women in politics and governance. The increase of women in governance will invariably open the Nigerian space for the receipt of women leadership and thos can permeate the different institutions and agencies within the country.
The Gender Technical officer for CITAD, Zainab Aminu, Also explained in her introduction that addressing the gap of gender equality in digital space not only promote gender equality but also enriches the industry with diverse perspectives and talents.
“The imperative for heightened female participation in the digital workforce stems from fostering diversity, innovation, and economic growth. Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in technology-related fields. Addressing this gap not only promotes gender equality but also enriches the industry with diverse perspectives and talents.
“Women bring unique problem-solving skills, creativity, and collaboration to digital spaces, contributing to more comprehensive and effective solutions. Encouraging women to pursue careers in the digital workforce not only empowers individuals but also strengthens organizations by tapping into a broader talent pool, ultimately driving progress in technology and ensuring a more inclusive and equitable future”, she said.
