CITAD launches book, policy review to mark IWD

By Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has partnered with FGN Women Ambassadors Network (FWANET) to celebrate the International Women’s Day.

During the celebration, CITAD unveiled a Book titled “Moving From The Fringes: Perspectives on Gender Digital Marginality In Nigeria” and a Policy Brief titled “Promoting Women Participation in Digital Policy-Making in Nigeria to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD).

The Theme of the 2024 IWD was “inspiring Inclusion,” held at the Centre for Gender Studies in Bayero University Kano, New Campus.

In her keynote address, the chairperson of the occasion who is also the Executive Director Adolescent health and information projects (AHIP), Hajiya Mairo Bello, encouraged women to develop their skills and assets, criticizing the societal pressure that discourages women’s education.

On her part, the CITAD’s Gender Technical officer, Mrs. Zainab Aminu said as part of the Centre’s efforts to promote women inclusion in all developmental issues.

According to her, the center trained 25 women across the Northeastern and Northwestern Nigeria on digital leadership policy to become champions and advocates of gender inclusion in Nigeria.

She added that the Centre also conducted a research that led to the publication of the policy brief that promotes women inclusion and participation in digital policy- making in Nigeria.

Mrs. Aminu recommends that government, ICT related agencies and civil societies should come up with digital inclusion agenda, develop and implement organization gender policy as well as champion gender equality through collaboration with policy makers to advance the five gender bills proposed to the 10th assembly.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Centre for gender studies, Dr. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad stressed on the importance of the need to supports women in achieving their full potential.

She highlighted that, the Centre is a knowledge base and it’s collaborate with other Centres and Departments towards improving the lives of men, women and girls by analyzing their specific problems, needs and interests.

“It is Multidisciplinary in Nature and the center works with other Centres, various department in the University for teaching, research and training of students and members of the society on issues related to gender”

Dr. Suwaiba also commended CITAD for training the champions and publishing and launching the Book and the Policy Brief on perspectives on gender digital marginality in Nigeria.

During her paper presentation, a lecturer at BUK’s Department of Public Law and also the former Nigerian Ambassador to Romania, Ambassador Safiya Nuhu presented a paper titled “The Imperative of Mainstreaming Gender for National Development.”

According to her, a research conducted by a World Bank shows that only 47% of Nigerian women are represented in the work force.

She said empowering women would help in alleviating poverty, improve health and education, peace and security, as well as sustainable development.

On his part, Director of BUK TV and Radio, Dr. Suleiman Yar’adua also emphasized the need to support women for sustainable development.

The CITAD Monitoring and Evaluation officer, Fatima Babakura said the training of the 25 young women, yielded a good result as the champions produced the short essays that led to the publication of the Book.

She said the Digital Leadership Policy Training for Young Women was a Project funded by the Association for Progressive Communication (APC).

The Digital Leadership Policy Champions as well as the Book Contributors includes: Maimuna Suleiman, the Program Director at She & Tech, Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman, Multimedia Journalist working with BUK TV and Radio, Khadija Zangina Aliyu, a Research Assistant at the African Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy, Sadiya Lawal Danyaro, a Lecturer at Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Maryam Ibrahim Sani, Digital Gender Divide Activist, Hadiya Usman, Executive Director of Nudge Initiative and Women Techmakers Ambassador.

Others are Halima Sadiya Yahaya, Serah Isaac, Nafisa Umar Garba, Aisha Mato, Hannah Kebrang, Maimunatu Ya’u Ibrahim, Fatima Aminu Gurin, Halima Sadiya Yahaya, Rahinatu Mohammed Hamid and Hannatu Musa Piri.