#DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for gender equality

  • 1 Week Ago 09 March 2023 - 2023-03-09 18:34:00
According to the governor of the Erongo region, Neville Andre, advancing technology introduced new forms of inequality and heightened threats to the rights and well being of women.

Andre said in a speech on Women’s Day, that women and girls remain underrepresented across the creation, use and regulation of technology. “They are less likely to use digital services or enter tech-related careers, and significantly more likely to face online harassment and violence. This limits not only their own digital empowerment but also the transformative potential of technology as a whole.”

He emphasised that that the theme for the month was “#DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for gender equality” and said that from online learning and digital activism to the rapid expansion of high-paying tech jobs, the digital age has generated unprecedented opportunities for the empowerment of women and girls. “The question is if we should allow technology to widen existing disparities and further concentrate power in the hands of the few, or put it to work on behalf of a safer, more sustainable, more equitable future for all.”

The governor said that International Women’s Day is an opportunity to assess how far Namibia have come in advancing gender equality across all spheres of society, and to look at what more needs to be done to give effect to the rights of women and girls worldwide.

Andre also paid tribute to Namibian women. “We honour, remember and salute all women from all generations who have been part of our struggle and have made significant contributions for our nation’s freedom, democracy and development. Guided by the revolutionary vision of many of our liberation struggle heroines and inspired by their courage and commitment and fortified by the daily struggles of thousands of Namibian women, we will surely succeed to build a society in which the daughters of our nation will live in peace, dignity, security and comfort.”