Co-conveners of the Africa Women Conference (AWC), Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Abuja, has identified Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a tool for economic growth in view of the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic.This was the consensus at the AWC 2nd edition of Exploring Growth Opportunities Series which was focused on women in media and the entertainment industry in Africa. Speaking to journalist, Sunday in Abuja, on the outcome of the webinar with the theme: Deploying ICT in Repositioning Women in Media and Entertainment Industry for Growth, President/Founder, Helpline Foundation For The Needy, Abuja, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, disclosed that panelists at the conference agreed that certain steps should be taken to address issues affecting women in the continent.
Ahmadu maintained that women must take advantage of information dissemination through the media and ICT as it was imperative to advance any cause related or tailored towards women and girl child development.
According to her, “During the deliberations panelists also agreed that training and equipping the Girl Child on ICT at a young age is imperative as the merit of ICT knowledge could boost their careers.”Africa women must take advantage of various online media platforms in getting information and also making extra monetary gains for those in the media sectors.”Speaking further she said, “For African women to be relevant in the media and entertainment sectors, she must be ICT compliant.”Other issues raised at the conference she said included that “ICT has created room for self-development and capacity building in other online courses and African women should be encouraged in taking advantages of various online course platforms.”The women and girls right advocate said the conference, however, noted that though ICT has made online marketing of good and services easy for women, but warned that women should be advised on the negative aspect on ICT such as scammers, online ritualists, fraudsters among other vices, while calling on NGOs and CSOs to encourage and support rural women and the girl child on ICT trainings, provisions of ICT equipment and ICT mentoring.The conference therefore called on women to be extremely smart and report all forms of abuse by individuals taking advantage of ICT tools, noting that despite the challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic on all sectors the ICT remained standing as the most sought after sector.
