As the world marked the International Women Day, IWD, The Centre for Public Policy and Research (CPPR) has called for promotion of digital innovation among women in businesses and environment to promote Women
Economic Empowerment across the nation.
Nigerian Newssphere reports this in a statement signed by the Centre’s Chairman, Dr Sam Amadi on Wednesday.
The Centre explained that such skills for women and girls will drive sustainable economic development and inclusive well being for all.
“The United Nations Women is celebrating the 2023 International Women’s Day with theme: DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. This year’s celebration aims to promote digital innovation and technological advancement.
“According to UN Women’s 2022 Gender Snapshot, women’s exclusion from the digital world has caused a loss of $1 trillion for the economies of developing countries in the last decade – a loss that will increase by 50 percent by 2025 if nothing is done in this regard. Besides economic benefits, enhancing women’s safe and equal access to digital technologies offers immense opportunities to address development and humanitarian challenges and spark innovative and creative solutions that meet women’s needs and promote their empowerment.
“Also, the UN says women are underrepresented in STEM careers and climate innovations. Climate change affects 80% of women globally because women are the primary caregivers in most households. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has highlighted the gender gap in environmental quality and the ability to shape environmental outcomes in many low-income countries.
“Women innovators have continued to grow, particularly in technologically advanced countries; however, on a global scale, only 15% of innovators are women.Women are the primary caregivers in Africa, with 75% of these women living in rural communities. The majority of these women are responsible for their families’ energy, food, shelter, and clothing. As climatic conditions continue to change, women are developing local strategies to mitigate and adapt to these changes. With an increase in local climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, there is an increase in female participation in climate action in Nigeria.
“In order to develop new technologies and innovations, The Centre for Public Policy and Research (CPPR) calls for a need to embrace and promote equity in digital innovation action, as well as increase women’s participation in technology and closing the digital gaps in Africa and Nigeria. For this increased participation to occur, there is a need to develop gender sensitive technology curriculum for girls at all levels of education in Africa and Nigeria, because it will help young girls develop an interest in innovations.
“The Centre calls for digital innovation in businesses for women to promote women economic empowerment and transform their lives. The CPPR urges the government to ensure that the digital space is safer for women and girls. It is important that the government invests greatly ICT skills for women and be placed in around ICT decision making in the country.
“Online contents should be developed to solve gender challenges specifically for women and girls that will promote human rights of women and girls in Nigeria”.