The Ghanaian Journal

Miss Alice Botchway, Ashanti Regional Director of Department of Women and Children’s Affairs, has observed that societal and cultural constraints had made women to distance themselves from the global pool of information and knowledge thereby creating a digital divide between men and women.

“The ICT divide between men and women is reflected in the levels of empowerment and inequities of women in comparison to men and has led to the slow pace of development on the African Continent,” she added.

Miss Botchway made the observation when addressing the second National Women’s Conference of Communication Workers’ Union of Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) on Wednesday in Kumasi.

The two-day conference was under the theme “Strengthening Capacity of Women in Information Communication Technology (ICT) Industry: The Role of the Union.”

It was being sponsored by management of Ghana Telecom, Ghana Post and Kasapa.

She said the inability of women to have adequate access to ICT had contributed to the slow pace of development in Africa and called on stakeholders and experts in communication technology to initiate strategies to remove constraints that affected women’s access to ICT.

Miss Botchway stressed the need for stakeholders, experts and the union to spearhead the initiatives to bridge the gender divide in ICT by recognizing the constraints women face in the use of ICT.

She said women must be encouraged and provided with the needed skills, expertise and programmes to enable them catch up with the fast growing and improving ICT.

Miss Botchway called on Civil Society Organizations and others to intervene to make ICT more accessible to both men and women, because equitable access to ICT would enhance development in the country.

Miss Georgina Opoku-Amankwah, National Chairperson of Public Service Workers’ Union of GTUC, said it was time for women to develop themselves in ICT training.

Mr Anthony Ekow Dadzie, General Secretary of the Union, called on women to update their personal records with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), for their safety in future as well as that of their dependants.

Mrs Stella Appiah-Nkansah, Human Resource Manager of Ghana Telecommunication (GT), said women formed 51 per cent of Ghana’s population therefore, they need to acquire knowledge to build the home and country.

She called on women to find effective strategies to build and strengthen their capacities through scholarships and other educational programmes.

Mrs Appiah-Nkansah advised them not to involve themselves in negative relationships that would not build their self confidence.
GNA