The Vice-Chancellor, of Covenant University, Professor Abiodun H. Adebayo, has called for change in the discrimination against women, while urging the society to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played extraordinary roles in the history of their countries and communities.
He made this call while speaking at a recent event hosted by the University’s Faculty Women’s Advance, on the 8th of March 2023, to mark the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) Celebration, at the Covenant University’s Centre for Innovation and Discovery (CUCRID) Main Auditorium.
According to Professor Adebayo, this year’s theme, “Digit ALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,” is very apt and timely in this post-COVID-19 pandemic era, where digital technologies gained an increasingly significant function in both individual and communal lives and exacerbated digital disparities.
He posited that digital technology innovations offer prospects for more access to education, information, and competencies and unlock opportunities for better business, employment prospects, and access to improve health and legal services. These innovations have also made the world a global village for trade, commerce and agricultural extension services, he added.
“The digital revolution can also help women and the girl child to improve their saleable skills, heighten their financial viabilities, know their rights and privileges, participate in informed decision-making and civil advocacy, partake in cultural and creative practices, advance themselves as entities, or engage in leisure,” he said
He pointed out that women lag behind men in a range of indicators associated with internet access and use; adding that the digital gender gap continues expanding in many developing countries, creating a specific need to support digital gender equality. Globally, he said, in 2022, 62% of men are using the Internet, compared with 57% of women.
According to Professor Adebayo, the World Wide Web Foundation found that the digital gender gap had barely improved since 2011 in lower and middle-income countries. The report, he said, stated that globally, men are 21 percent more likely to be online than women, a gap that rises to 52 percent in least developed countries.
He noted that the problem with women’s access to digital resources does not reside in the medium itself, but with the social context in which women are located. And factors such as lack of agency, education inequality, and digital spaces being viewed as dangerous and unsafe for women widen the gender digital gap, he added.
“It is from this backdrop that I believe the 2023 IWD celebration creates a unique hope and opportunity to holistically assess the gendered effects of innovation, technology and education in the digital age, drawing from rich and distinct experiential base to identify and proffer solutions that will allow for more inclusive and unbiased digital development. I am delighted that the Covenant Faculty Women Advance has put this conference together to explore this critical issue whilst identifying with the yearnings and aspirations of women worldwide.
“As an institution, Covenant remains committed to bridging the technological divide and securing the development future of our nation and continent by raising quality ICT-driven professionals. In furtherance of this, the University has continued to promote inclusiveness in student admissions and recruitment of faculty and staff.
“Our goal is to attract and support more women, especially in the STEM-related field, which ultimately will increase the potential to develop inclusive, innovative solutions for the multifaceted problems confronting humanity,” he opined.
The Vice-Chancellor congratulated the leadership and members of the Covenant Faculty Women’s Advance and wished all Covenant women a happy celebration.
While giving her welcome remarks, the Coordinator, Covenant University Faculty Women Advance, Professor Anthonia Adeniji, appreciated the University Management for their undying support and encouragement. She thanked the entire Faculty Women Advance team for their efforts and commitment to the success of the event.
Also at the event were the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Olujide Adekeye; the Ag Registrar, Mrs. Regina Tobi David; other members of the University Management and Senior Officers of the University.
Others at the event include the Keynote Speaker, Mrs. Favour Femi Oyewole; the Guest Speaker, Mr. Femi Omidiran; and some Special Guests.