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Budget: Five ministries seek more allocation to empower women

By on November 4, 2013

Five ministries – Communication Technology, Agriculture, Water Resources, Health and Works – will receive extra budgetary allocations in 2014 for initiatives that impact on females and harness their potential in national development.

Already, it was learnt that the five ministries had signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Ministries of Finance and Women Affairs towards implementing the gender programmes.

The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, also confirmed this when she unveiled the ministry’s three gender enterprises aimed at building the capacity of girls and women in information technology.

She was quoted in a statement on Friday as saying, “The Federal Government in a bid to further empower Nigerian women and girls has developed an innovative approach to gender empowerment through the Ministry of Communication Technology, Agriculture, Water Resources, Health and Works.

“To empower women and girls, these five ministries have signed MoU with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Finance to develop the potential and earning power of women and deliver on specific services that will impact positively on the lives of Nigerian women.

“The Ministry of Communication Technology, a key partner in the MoU signed, is empowering women and girls through specific technology initiatives it has identified and developed to empower Nigerian women and girls to actualise their potential.”

She said, “Aware of various global reports that reveal the growing digital divide between men and women in the adoption of ICTs which are critical for empowering and impacting positively on the lives of women and girls, the ministry is set to inaugurate three different initiatives that will empower women and girls.

“The initiatives are the Smart Woman Nigeria initiative, MCT 1000 ICT Training for Girls and ICT Girls Clubs. The ministry from Monday the 4th of November will inaugurate these initiatives for the benefit of Nigerian women and girls.”

Johnson said the ministry would execute two of the initiatives, Smart Woman Nigeria and MCT 1000 ICT Training for Girls, in partnership with a Chinese technology vendor, Hauwei.

The Smart Woman Nigeria project seeks to promote the development of women in Nigeria through Information and Communication Technology.

According to the proponents, it plans to deploy technology platforms to help the development of women by giving tips that will make them more efficient and effective in their jobs, careers and businesses and to generate new employment opportunities.

Johnson said the Smart Woman Nigeria Project would allow women in Nigeria to connect with one another, share their knowledge and learn from each other; and empower themselves to achieve their goals.

The first phase of the programme targeted at women in urban areas would provide an affordable means for Nigerian women to receive in a timely manner, accurate information relevant to their needs and would be required to pay monthly subscription, it was learnt.

The second phase, according to the minister, will be extended to beneficiary women who will receive targeted content via text messages free of charge.  The content will include life skills, money management, legal issues, health, safety and security.

MCT 1000 aims to help 1,000 unemployed young women to acquire capacity in ICTs while the ICT Girls Club is aimed at promoting ICTs among girls in secondary schools across the country. Curriculum developers have been engaged for the programme.

Explaining the rationale for equipping women and girls in ICTs, Johnson said in the near future, 90 per cent of available jobs would require adequate capacities in ICTs.

She regretted that about 23 per cent gap existed between men and women in ICTs, thus the move to bridge the gap.

 

 

[Punch]