Oxfam, others, renew calls for gender advancement through technology

*Hails breakthrough in early cancer detection

To further press home the Importance of gender mainstreaming in the innovation and technology sector, Oxfam Nigeria alongside women in Information Technology and Communication, (ICT), and others, have renewed calls for more women in technology and science-related fields.

Women in ICT led by Kemisola Bolanrewa, noted that for equality, more women are needed in the tech space and should therefore be encouraged to toe the path by dismantling stereotypes and long-held beliefs on perceived appropriate careers meant for women and men.

According to her, women are often more productive in any space they are found which is why their increased presence in technology will increase the turnout of inventions, innovative solutions and breakthroughs in the sciences.

She cited recent breakthroughs in the early detection of cancer through the early cancer detection smart brassiere by her Women in ICT team as a perfect example of how creative women in the innovation space can be.

“Right now, the invention of the smart bra that detects cancer is a good example. This cancer has been a disease that has been there for a very long time but even though we have a lot of men in the sciences, they couldn’t solve this particular problem so this is a case of women solving women’s problems through technological invention.

“These are part of why we need more women in STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), space generally,” she said.

Professor Olabisi Aina, researcher and lecturer at of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, said that Nigeria’s National Gender Policy is opening doors for more sectors of the economy such as the sciences, to key into the drive for gender mainstreaming.

Professor Aina who led the team that wrote the 2006 Gender Policy for Nigeria, which was revised in 2021, pointed out that ” the National Gender Policy is an umbrella policy to which we expect that every sector whether it is labour, environment, health and others, should key into and look at gender issues in their sectors and then draw policy guidelines in order to mainstream gender into what they do.

While speaking on the importance of upscaling youth in technology and innovation to advance their livelihood and enable them to contribute to the economy, the Head of the Department of Poise Graduate Finishing Academy, Esohe Ahior, said that trainings of girls in sectors like graphic design among others have been the focus of her Organization for the International Women’s month.

She explained that “We always look out for the disadvantaged in the society to benefit from our programs such as girls that have been abused, early mothers and those set aside as useful.

“We train them to become confident and useful to themselves and gender mainstreaming in tech and innovation has helped our girls become better versions of themselves,” she said.