The Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) has called on media development organisations to collaborate with the group to explore ways at deepening the digital skills of women in the media.
That, the group explained, would enable the women to expand their opportunities in the connected world.
A statement signed by Madam Shamima Muslim, Convener of the Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) and issued to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday to mark the International Women’s Day, said research showed that digital literacy levels amongst males and females were disproportionate, making females constant victims of digital attacks, cyberbullying, harassment and fraud.
“Digital literacy is crucial to get women trained on how to use the internet, Information and Communication Technology, and particularly social media in more effective ways while also staying safe online,” it said.
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, violence and abuse against women.
The United Nations commemorated the 2023 IWD on the theme: “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,” highlighting gender gaps in Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and calling attention to the online harassment of women.
While the global theme for 2023 IWD was “#EmbraceEquity,” which is part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness around “why equal opportunities are no longer enough.”
Further, the AWMA charged industry leaders to embrace equity to bridge existing inequalities within the media.
“We echo the Global call to Embrace Equity as a pathway to a fair and inclusive society, where all members: women and men, young and old, abled and challenged receive equal opportunities to reach their fullest potential.”
“One hundred and fifty-one years is how long we are to expect to achieve workplace equality with major inequality gaps existing in the areas of economic participation and opportunity; educational attainment; health and survival; and political empowerment.”
The statement said while Ghana celebrates the phenomenal contributions women had made to its development, it remained a sad reality that insidious systemic barriers continued to hamper the progress and actualisation of many women, including those in the media.
“So let’s honour our women in the media, they are our charge to keep,” she said.
GNA
