By Justina Auta
The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has advocated for efforts toward eliminating noticeable barriers impeding gender equity in the country.
Mrs Ladi Bala, the National President of NAWOJ, made the call in a statement commemorating the 2023 International Women’s Day, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
The 2023 International Women’s Day has the theme: “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”.
Bala, while celebrating women’s role in building homes, and by extension the nation, said every effort must be channelled toward breaking barriers hindering women’s potentials in both the public and private sectors of national life.
She also emphasised women’s contribution to the digital world, in spite of noticeable and persistent gender gap in digital access.
“While the aim of the IWD 2023: #EmbraceEquity campaign theme is to get the world talking about why equal opportunities are not enough, every society should consciously work towards achieving gender equity as true inclusion.
“NAWOJ believes that gender equity is about everyone thinking about it, knowing about it, valuing, embracing it and believing in it, unconditionally,” Bala said.
According to her, a survey of women journalists from 125 countries showed that 73 per cent of women had suffered online violence in the course of their work.
“While women’s underrepresentation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and careers remain a major barrier to their participation in technological design and governance.
“And, the pervasive threat of online gender-based violence, coupled with a lack of legal recourse, too often force women out of digital spaces,” she said.
Bala also observed that Nigeria’s democracy had been characterised by the exclusion of women in the processes arnd denied opportunity to contribute to governance despite having the highest number of voters at polling units on election days.
She, therefore, encouraged stakeholders to make the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable to create a better future for women, girls, all humanity and life on earth.
“NAWOJ urges all hands to be on deck for the social, economic, cultural and political advancement of women.
“Everyone everywhere should play a part, challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias and seek out inclusion,” she urged. (NAN)
