Women’s Digital Inclusion

A women activist in Gombe State, Fatima Muktar Ibrahim has advocated for women’s participation on the internet to enable them access knowledge and useful information that will improve their lives. Addressing journalists on Friday at the end of a one-day step down training she organised for selected women and youth groups in the state on women digital inclusion, digital rights and Gender violence with support from Centre for Information Technology And Development (CITAD), Fatima asserted that religious, societal norms, illiteracy and online harassment were some of the factors promoting women digital exclusion in Nigeria. She enumerated other problems hindering the women folk from accessing the internet to include; lack of Policies Supporting Internet and Gender in the Society, Failure to tackle problem of girl child education, unequal Opportunities and gender violence online

. According to her, ICT was undoubtedly essential for everyone as affects every aspect of the human lives, lamenting that there is low percentage of women/girls who make effective use of the internet and social media in Nigeria.  She opined that among the solutions that could help in campaign for digital inclusion included Policy that are favourable to women, Parents should give their female children the same opportunity they give their male ones in accessing digital devices from childhood. The activist stated that she paid advocacy visits to relevant organisations such as office of the chairperson RAYSIDA women multipurpose, Gombe State branch of ANAHDA, Gombe state Adult and non-formal education area office to advocate for the women digital inclusion.  

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