Professor Nkem Fab-Ukozor, the Project Director of the Media and Gender Enlightenment Initiative and Head of the Department of Development Communication Studies, at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Imo State University, Owerri, has identified Gender Equality as a Panacea for Development.
Prof. Ukozor revealed this on Wednesday, December 18, 2023, during the Public Awareness Campaign tagged "Online Misogyny: Building Capacity of Women in South-East Nigeria." The campaign was held at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Imo State University, Owerri, and was organized by the Media and Gender Enlightenment Initiative (MEGEIN) in collaboration with the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC).
She said, "Gender equality is essential for creating a sustainable and just society. It must be pursued, not because it is a human right, but because it is critical for achieving sustainability in all ramifications of development". She added that, when everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive, it benefits all aspects of development and ensures that all individuals can contribute their talents and ideas in an atmosphere of peace and justice.
The MEGEIN Director stressed that women and girls face oppressive conditions in many parts of the world, particularly, the emerging democracies of Africa and, indeed, Nigeria. "Women's voices are suppressed, silenced, and controlled by discriminatory practices, and by implicit social attitudes, Cultural norms, and patriarchal values in real-life situations. Such are not different in mainstream and digital media spaces", she said.
She revealed that online and ICT-mediated violence against women has become increasingly common, particularly with the use of social media platforms and other technical applications, every day and everywhere. "As women and girls gain access to and engage with the internet, they face online violence that is part of the continuum of multiple, recurring, and interrelated forms of gender-based violence against women".
"It is therefore disheartening, to observe that despite the benefits and empowering potential of the internet and ICT, women, and girls in Africa and the world at large have increasingly voiced their concern at the prevalent harmful, sexist, misogynistic, and violent online content and behavior. Such a hostile environment not only undermines the positive aspects of digital technology but also perpetuates the circle of violence against women and girls, making their online experiences an extension of persistent and interconnected forms of gender-based violence".
While presenting a paper titled; "Women and Communication", The Head of the Department of Advertising, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Professor K. O. Nworgu, argued that gender issue represents both male and females, but unfortunately, women have appropriated the word, "gender". , whenever you bring up gender issues, women will tell you it's about them.
He, therefore, looked at the issue from the way the society relates and communicates with women as well as the way women relate and communicate with the society at large as well as the issues that affect such Communication. He listed some of the issues to include; language barrier, limited access to Information, poor Communication infrastructure, and Cultural barriers against women, among others.
Professor Nworgu insisted that the majority of problems faced by women are caused by their fellow women. He however, advised them to put their house in order, love themselves, get united, project a common front, and take themselves seriously, so that they would be treasured, valued, and respected.
The second paper presenter, titled; "How to Have a Better Online Presence for Women in Nigeria", Dr. Ifeoma Ojiakor-Umenze, a senior lecturer in the Department of Development Communication Studies, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Imo State University, stated that women belong to a disadvantaged group. She explained that Nigeria is one of the fastest growing digital economies in Africa, yet, her women remain underrepresented.
Speaking further, she cited research by the Global System for Mobile Communication Association (GSMA), which found that only 43% of women in Nigeria have access to the Internet as against their male counterparts 65%". The study equally found that a large gender gap exists in terms of smartphone ownership, where 32% of women own smartphones as against 51% of their men counterparts.
She therefore advised women to stop playing the victim card and start something so that their voices would be heard. She added, "It is not enough to know how to do something, you need to announce it to the world".
The workshop was well attended by men, women, boys, and girls from all walks of life.
Post a Comment