The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) to promote gender equality and women’s rights.
The annual celebration of women is held across the world on the 8th of March.
In a statement that was issued by its media officer, Olayemi John-Mensah, ACCI said
The 2023 celebration with the theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”, aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 67th session of the commission on the status of women, “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”.
On the aspect of women representation in political roles, ACCI said great improvements have been made.
ACCI as a chamber has over the years actively engaged in IWD by running significant features independently or through collaboration to drive visibility and traffic to their female-focused content. Also, The elevation of print and digital content across the world has promoted and contributed positively to global dialogue and narrative about women’s equality.
A release by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) executive director Dr. Natalia Kanem on the occasion of the 2023 IWD stated that women and girls, in all their diversities, have the fundamental right to live free from violence and to have agency over their bodies and lives, both offline and in virtual spaces.
He said technology holds endless possibilities and has the power to expand networks, opportunities, and minds.
ly technological world, digital access, literacy, and skills are imperative for everything from livelihoods to education, to participation in civic life. Yet, technology is also increasingly misused and weaponised, with women and girls disproportionately targeted.
“The digital divide is often portrayed as a matter of women’s and girls’ disinclination towards tech. That is not the case. The exclusion of women and girls in technology is perpetuated through violence and discrimination. And it is shrinking their futures and deepening gender, economic and social inequalities.
The cumulative impacts of this exclusion are enormous. An estimated 2.7 billion people are not connected to the Internet, and the majority of them are women and girls.
Globally, 62 per cent of men use the Internet compared to 57 per cent of women.”
The president of ACCI, Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar in his message to celebrate the women on the occasion of the 2023 IWD said, ACCI would continue to appreciate the role of women in the development of nations and economies across the globe pointing out that many of them have broken all barriers even in technology and reached the pinnacle of success in every aspect of life.
“Technology is key to advancing gender equality and when women and girls are allowed to access and use technology safely, their voices can be heard and they can also transform their future. It would also build them a vibrant business environment that can effectively help in contributing their quota to the national economy.”
He charged the appropriate authorities to keep funding and supporting women in the area of technological advancement that would spur them to greater development.
