By Polycarp Ifeanyi, Onitsha
A group of women under the aegis of Onicha Leadership and Entrepreneurship Centre ( OLEC) have organised Seminar to empower Onicha-Ado youths and women.
The Seminar which tagged " Promoting Gender Equality Through Digital Literacy" was held at Ime Obi Hall, Ezechima Square, Awka Road Onitsha, Anambra State.
It was also attracted the presence of Traditional Ruler of Onicha, HRM Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, Agbogidi represented by, Chief Emingi Oberi Iboja, Chief Anionwu Osita and Chief Ike Akata whoani respectively.
It would be recalled that Onicha Leadership and Entrepreneurship Centre ( OLEC) as well serves as an Enterprise Development Institute ( EDI) for the training of Onicha youths in the broad area of leadership and Entrepreneurship.
According to the group, OLEC functions under the framework of Onicha-Ado Advancement Foundation ( OnAF) and was set up in August 2020 by the Obi of Onicha, HRM Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, Agbogidi as an economic empowerment initiative in the after-math of the Onicha Community Covid-19 Response Team Intervention.
The overarching vision of (OnAF) is to lift Onicha out of poverty ( LOOP) while the women Empowerment Project is a key committee under OLEC, even as OLEC Women's Empowerment Project leans on the framework outlined by the United Nations Women's Empowerment Principles.
Presenting her speech, one of the panelists, Professor Antoinette N.C. Okaka explained that digital technology is very essential for the empowerment of women and girls to enable them access technology leading to their acquisition of skills and entrepreneurial advancement.
She equally stated that Women's digital equality entails sensitizing the girl Child to take up science engineering and technology ( STEM) programs/ courses during their education.
According to the University lecturer, she quoted Wikipedia, saying that Gender Equality of sexes is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender including economic participation and decision-making, and State of valuing different behaviours including aspirations and needs equally regardless of gender.
" For women and teenagers to achieve digital gender equality, they have to acquire mobile phones, be able to recharge their phones easily and exposing them to digital training and education" Said Okaka.
She revealed that less than 25% of Nigerian women are involved in digital technology programs, stating that Governments, businesses and academic institutions must work together to create systems and infrastructures needed to facilitate social and economic digital mobility.
In her vote of thanks, the event management, Enyi Thelma Chiwuzie poured accolades on the panelists for educating the audience, disclosing that participants would go home happily.
She also praised the organizers and equally HRM Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, noting that the seminar was a successful one and it would encourage Igwe Achebe to continue to support them more.
Some schools that attended the seminar included; Christ the King College Onitsha, Metropolitan College Onitsha, Regina Pacis College Onitsha amongst other.