The Commission expressed this commitment during separate
sensitization campaigns held at Government Girls’ Science School (GSS), Kuje
and Nobel Hall Leadership Academy, Abuja on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, as it joined
the rest of the world in marking the 10th anniversary of Girls in ICT Day 2021.
The annual event is an initiative of the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), designed to raise global awareness on empowering
and encouraging young women and girls to consider studies and careers in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Aside the sensitization campaigns held in Abuja, the NCC
held similar events, in its zonal offices, across the country in furtherance of
its commitment to promote the empowerment of young women through ICT.
Addressing participants at Nobel Hall Academy, Head,
Internet Governance, NCC, Tokunbo Oyeleye, said the annual event is a testimony
to the importance the Commission places on the need to expose girls and young
women to more opportunities in ICT as well as address their cybersecurity
concerns.
Conveying the felicitations of the Executive Vice
Chairman/CEO of the Commission, Professor, Umar Graba Danbatta, Oyeleye said
the theme of this year’s edition of the programme, “Connected Girls, Creating
Brighter Futures’’ aptly underscores the growing importance of the need for an
environment that encourages young women to acquire requisite digital skills to
attain their future aspirations.
“The Commission aligns with the ITU’s Resolution 70, which
advocates gender mainstreaming and promotion of gender equality, empowerment of
women through Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The Commission has consistently used the platform to
encourage Nigerian girls to venture into ICT careers. “Hence, we sensitise students
in secondary schools on how the NCC, as the telecom sector regulator, is
creating a safer space for girls, by raising awareness on digital skills,
gender-based violence as well as developing initiatives for the protection of
children and girls’ rights online,” she said.
She stated further that the annual event also resonates with
the Child Online Protection (COP) drive of the Commission aimed at collectively
creating measures for a safer online environment for children. The Commission
through various forms of support and participation in activities that educate
children on ways to keep safe online has been advancing the objective to
promote and safeguard national interests, safety and security.
In the same vein, a Senior Manager at NCC, Yisa Elizabeth,
who led the Commission’s team to GSS, Kuje, encouraged the young girls to take
advantage of the numerous opportunities in ICT for their personal and career
development.
Other locations where the Commission carried out the
sensitization include Girls’ Academy Senior Secondary School, Lagos Island and
Girls’ Senior Secondary Grammar School, Obalende Keffi, Lagos State; Model
Girls’ Secondary School, Rumueme and Government Girls’ Secondary School
Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Kano Capital Secondary School (Girls’
section), Matan Fada Road, Nassarawa and Mairo Tijjani Girls’ Science and
Technical College, Kano State.
The participants commended the NCC for the elaborate
enlightenment programme, which they said was very beneficial as it has stimulated
their interest and dispelled the negative gender perceptions often associated
with ICT.
0 comments:
Post a Comment