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Tag: Nigerian Feminist Forum

  • IwD: Nigerian Feminist Forum fights for gender equality in ICT, tasks FG on enabling environment

    IwD: Nigerian Feminist Forum fights for gender equality in ICT, tasks FG on enabling environment

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    As the world celebrates women today on the 2023 International Women’s Day, IWD, the Nigerian Feminist Forum, NFF, has strongly called on the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for women and girls inclusion in the Information, Technology and Communication, ICT, space.

    Referring to the theme of 2023 IWD, “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for gender equality”, NFF noted that it
    is a reminder that every woman is entitled to equal opportunity and a society free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination in accessing science and technology.

    NFF emphasized that the transformative power of technology offers unique perspectives to solving societal problems and in turn reduces the overall gender pay gap since technology offers higher salaries than most jobs women engage in.
    The Forum lamented that in Nigeria, women and girls are grossly underrepresented in the field of technology, and little attention is paid to the growing digital gap between women and their male counterparts.

    According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) 2013,
    over 50% of the world has access to technology, women continue to account for fewer than 20% of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) specialists in developing economies.

    NFF further note that the growing number of cybercafés in major cities has not translated into access to technology for Nigerian women and girls, rather boys and men have more access to use of cafés by freedom of movement and money.

    Other factors such as Cyberbullying, cultural restrictions and stereotypes are inhibiting factors for women’s inability to thrive in the field of technology, majorly due to poverty, cultural bias towards the girl-child education.

    NFF therefore called on the Federal Government to urgently close the gender gap by reviewing the ICT Policy to include women’s right and access to Technology.

    “Close the digital gender gap by ensuring women and girls have equal access to digital technologies, including affordable internet and digital devices.”

    “Use data and technology to address gender inequalities in economic opportunities, including access to education, training, employment, and fair wages.”

    Promote digital literacy and skills development among women and girls, through digital literacy programs and the integration of technology in education, the Forum stated.

  • Social Justice Day: Feminist group wants FG to end prevalent Gender inequality

    Social Justice Day: Feminist group wants FG to end prevalent Gender inequality

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    As the world marks the 2023 World Day of Social Justice, WSJD, the Nigerian Feminist Forum, NFF, has called on the Federal Government to end the prevailing cases of Gender inequality and all forms of barriers against women access to equal opportunities and inclusive development.

    In a press release to mark the Day in Nigeria, NFF used the ocassion of the WSJD to call on the Federal, State and Local levels to take bold steps to remove all barriers to social justice for women and to ensure that opportunities for the advancement of social justice for women are in place.

    The Feminist group expressed deep dissatisfaction that often women at all spheres of public and private levels are daily confronted by discrimination and inequality.

    “They face violence, abuse and unequal treatment at home, at work and in their wider communities – and are denied opportunities to learn, to earn and to lead.”

    “Women form the majority of those living in poverty. They have fewer resources, less power and less influence compared to men, and continue to experience further inequality because of their class, ethnicity and age, as well as religious and other fundamentalism.”

    Furthermore , NFF laments that contrary to the Nigerian Constitution which provides for gender equality and non-discrimination of women, women with disabilities and gender non-conforming people continue to suffer injustices and marginalization due to discriminatory laws, religious and cultural norms, and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women’s lives.

    While Nigerian women have continued to champion activism and advocacy over the years, the Nigerian government at the local, state and federal levels are still failing in the fight for gender equality. 

    We cannot ignore the fact that social injustice is an important principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence for all in the country. We make this critical call to government at all levels to remove the barriers that hold women back from thriving due to patriarchy, social and cultural biases including gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability, NFF stated.
    The Forum urged all tiers of government to address such social and economic inequalities that hold women back from achieving their potential through commitments in order of creating an inclusive and equitable economy that benefits all, particularly women regardless of their background or circumstances.

    Ensure twomen have access to basic services such as healthcare, education, clean water, and sanitation,r
    Promote gender equality and empower women and girls.s among other enabling factors