COVID-19 has streamlined the importance of digital literacy across the globe. We witness transformations in business, health and social services moving from analogue to digital systems, But where do these systems leave Women and Girls?
Across the globe, gender insensitivity in innovation is limiting women’s ability to participate in ICTs with only less than 30% science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers being pursued by women. A 2012 by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) report noted that women account for one-half of the potential ICTs talent base. In Uganda, STEM education consumption for women and girls is low with gender bias amongst teachers prevalent.
Since 2013, the local Initiatives that encourage ICT consumption for Women have continued to focus on a specific category of Women and serves only 2% of the total population that is fit for consumption, the initiation of Digital Literacy support in primary and secondary schools has limited services provisions to basic programming specifically focusing on the utilization of Microsoft Office skills. The Exploitation of Digital Safety and Security continues to lack amongst the youngest population in the World .What Does this mean for Uganda?
Digital literacy is important in all aspects of life and across the world, has played many roles in ensuring safety, security, and financial development around the world.
In many countries, the Internet is used by communities to discuss, report, register and follow up on cases/ opportunities of great impact to communities. Members of these communities are able to understand and utilize this service to reduce cost and improve impact in society by either using these channels to communicate or to simply share information, this is different in Uganda. Besides Women achieving less attention in Online Business Trading, in many other cases Women who try to express their discontent through Online platforms have either ended up in Prison or facing injustices from the community or the entire system at large than their male counterparts, a situation that greatly influences consumption. Throughout the World, Women Account for one-half of the potential ICTs talent base yet it remains common knowledge that across the world, there is a gender gap in the participation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. This has led to the low representation of women in science-related occupations with less than 30% of the Total STEM work-Force pursued by women.
The internet provides a great opportunity for women and girls to acquire skills and knowledge needed in improving their everyday lives. However, increased online gender based violence should not be underlooked.
Statistics continue to show us that there is a huge market for ICTs for women, even with limited emphasis put to education for girls in ICTs, but this is not the only opportunity, there is massive positivity in ICT solutions like in the fields of Gender Safety and security for women, social services and most of all Economic growth. It would be assumed that the low enrollment, poor performance or the high number of drop outs might be associated with the perception that these subjects are hard but that is not even reflected by research. UNESCO research states that the gender gap is created by the Gender Bias amongst teachers and remains a significant barrier to achieving gender equality as teachers play a pivotal role in setting norms.
There is a need to scale up on initiatives focusing on xx women and girls in ICT. This involves educating teachers and community trainers in orientation training and where possible changing school systems to introduce ICT induction sessions that could increase the number of female students who participate in ICT and other STEM subjects or trainings.
Civil Society must engage in programming that encourage safe ICTs in Early Childhood Education but also, encourage ICT education structuring and policies that provide priority and positive information in ICT consumptions focusing on the future of the Internet across the global village. This will not only increase the uptake of ICTs at professional levels, it also provides knowledge to young people who may choose different professional paths causing ICTs knowledge in other sectors. Civil society has the capacity to influence innovations that encourage women participation in ICTs by encouraging gender sensitive innovations at all levels regardless of whether the innovator does not identify with a specific gender.
As we address the gender gaps in ICTs, let’s not forget that some institutions working on gender and women are using ICT systems to curb sexual and Gender Based Violence. The challenges of such initiatives revolve around the capacity of young women and girls who cannot adequately use the Internet to discuss, report or document acts of violence against them. It is thus important that women and girls are empowered to learn how to use the internet and other ICTs to not only address sexual and gender based violence but also innovate and create community solutions to other problems they face.
On the policy framework front, there is a need for adoption of policies that allow for easy consumption of technology. There is a need to remove gender based barriers to ICT access.
The Community Networks May play a big role in ensuring that women learn how to use the internet and other ICTs to address not only Sexual & gender based violence but also, gain the capacity to innovate and create community solutions to other problems affecting them in various communities.
We MUST appreciate the ICT laws in Uganda however, these require to extend equal solutions to individuals in communities by adjusting the current policies to allow easy consumption, this may include regulating ISPs systems from a bottom up approach including regulation of Tariffs and taxes to enable the affordability and Access. The bottom Up approach will provide a clear view of how the internet is influencing communities and how effective it could be used to solve common community challenges including Gender Sensitive Issues. The Case Of India’s GBV Monitoring Innovations between the ICT Sector and the government provide the best examples of Government supportive policies on local Internet Consumption.
It is our role as the internet society to support governments across the world to design and introduce policies that encourage women participation in ICTs. Besides the MANRS and other ISOC engagements, action on ensuring governments have reliable information on both masses and the entire Internet before regulation is required and these should relate to the global world as the internet is a global exploration. Governments in Africa are coming up with poor policies that infringe on the internet rights and are not observing the Internet Core Principles. We MUST keep in mind that the internet is a global right and MUST help citizens across the world to exercise it without prejudice. We must continue sensitising the communities and women in particular on the effects of the internet and ensure a balance in accessibility, innovation and equal benefit based standards in a global World.