We’ve created equal opportunities for women in digital space

Ini Billie, Uyo

Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudo Ndaeyo, has said that the institution has created equal opportunities for women to excel in the digital and technological space.

Speaking on Tuesday in Uyo to mark the end of three days of activities for the 2023 International Women’s Day celebration organised by the Centre for Gender Studies (CGS), in collaboration with the Conference of University of Uyo Women’s Organisation (CUWO), Ndaeyo said the same opportunities created for men were also available for women in the institution.

The VC mentioned that the university took cognisance of the peculiarities of women viz-a-viz the highly demanding responsibilities imposed on them by nature and society.

“We in the University of Uyo will continue to entrench and institutionalize policies and programmes that would promote gender equity in all spheres of the university,” he said.

Prof. Ndaeyo explained that the theme of the event, “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” was timely, as it highlighted the imperative for women to be accepted in technological education as the world was driven by technology.

He, however, stated that a wide digital gender gap existed which has had social and economic consequences on women and society.

He said the development has placed women in a disadvantaged position, making them unable to measure up with males in the world.

He appreciated the President of the University of Uyo Women Association (UWA), Mrs Uduak Ndaeyo, for her dogged and untiring effort in ensuring that women occupy their pride of place in the university system.

While speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr Michael Bush, tasked women with new perspectives on issues of gender parity, saying they were indispensable in society.

Bush explained that women were not able to claim what rightly belongs to them as men do not consult them before taking action on important family matters.

He urged the women to spend time grooming the boy child as they do for the girl child, saying failure to groom the boy child results in men who do not guarantee women’s rights when they occupy positions of authority.

On her part, the President of UWA, Mrs Uduak Ndaeyo, said the IWD theme was focused on the essence of women and girls in technology and digital education.

Ndaeyo said there was a need to protect the rights of girls and women in the digital space, especially as gender-based violence is now facilitated through ICT and online.

Also speaking, President, the Conference of the University of Uyo Women’s Organisation (CUWO), Prof. Isongesit Solomon, advised women to desist from equating themselves with men as there were things that women alone could do.

Prof. Solomon who was represented by Happiness Udo, charged women to remember that they were created to complement one another and encouraged women to support men for a better society.