Surayyah Ahmad on Greater Participation for Nigerian Women in Tech ACN Newswire

Surayyah Ahmad on Greater Participation for Nigerian Women in Tech

2 1 月, 2023
ABUJA, NG, Jan 2, 2023 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Surayyah Ahmad, Ethco Group Ltd co-founder and Executive Secretary of Startup AREWA has discussed the underrepresentation of Nigerian women in the tech industry, and women's effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in the tech ecosystem. She identified several important elements that can raise women's involvement in technology and help the nation achieve a balanced workforce.Surayyah Ahmad, Ethco co-founder and Executive Secretary, Startup AREWA, discussed underrepresentation of Nigerian women in the tech industry and opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in the tech ecosystem. [Image: Startup AREWA]"Studies from all across the world are showing that women are underrepresented in the tech industry, despite recent headlines concentrating on tech hiring sprees and the underrepresentation of diverse populations. Although the reasons for this differ, it is known that many people's decision to seek a career in technology dates back to their elementary school years," she says.Women hold only 18% of undergraduate computer science degrees and 26% of computing occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Since the 1990s, there has been a decrease in the proportion of women working in computer science-related fields, from 35% to 26% between 1990 and 2013. According to the United Nations, only one in five experts in technical disciplines like artificial intelligence are women.Only 16% of females at the pre-university level have had tech occupations recommended to them, and only 3% of them originally planned to pursue careers in technology, according to a recent report by Price Waterhouse Coppers (PwC) survey on women in technology. This figure is less in conservative regions such as Northern Nigeria, which, according to a World Bank report, could take more than 40 years to catch up with the country's southern region.Regardless of the disparity in accessing opportunities, women are starting to develop ideas and lead change through technology in their immediate contexts, despite the disparities in access. Things are gradually changing as more young women become interested in technology. Despite the underrepresentation of women in the tech industry globally, women have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to advance society, such as by reviving small and medium-sized businesses in Nigeria.Surayyah cited two sisters in Nigeria as an example of this achievement of women in technology. The sisters took the initiative to create an app, which would provide technical support to micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. According to the sisters, Kesandu and Dumebi Nwokolo, the app is intended to assist budding entrepreneurs and serve as a stepping stone that will increase visibility and ostensibly display these abilities, goods and services to the world.Ms. Odunayo Eweniyi, the Co-founder of Piggy Vest, has opined that in Africa, the normative beliefs that put women in subordination to men as a culture while encouraging patriarchy have put women on the sidelines of critical decision-making around the world. She says, "The lack of women in tech can't be explained away by innate biological differences. It is really down to a combination of systemic bias, men funding men, and a working culture that excludes women."Surayyah states that more women from Northern Nigeria are coming up with programs to help Northern women get into tech. Start-up Kano run by Aisha Tofa, the Brief Academy run by Farida Yahya, and TTlabs are currently some of the female-led institutions driving the inclusion of northern women in technology, mostly by providing mentoring and sponsorship to technology institutions.Giving girls early access to technology is a good start, but it's never too late to give women the chance to get the experience they need to start a career in technology. Organizations can create valuable technical talent development programs that promote women and help diversity in representation and ideas, which frequently results in even greater innovation."Through job shadowing or internships, these programs give women a chance to learn technical skills that they can use in real life. Participants can learn useful information and meet other people who are interested in the same things they are. Even the experience gained can help develop their talents and launch a technological career," Surayyah said.About Startup AREWAStartup AREWA was established to organize, empower and promote the Northern Nigeria technology and Startup Ecosystem, with the overarching goal of using technology and startups as a strategy to combat unemployment and poverty across the Northern Nigeria.From the first Bootcamp at Bello Memorial Foundation Hall in Kaduna to a series of over 20 Bootcamps across Northern Nigeria, engaging over 5000 Startups with support from innovators and public-private leaders, Startup AREWA is implementing its strategic plan of promoting and providing real-time support to Startups.Official website: https://startuparewa.ngFacebook: https://facebook.com/startuparewaTwitter: https://twitter.com/startuparewaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuparewa/Email: hello@startuparewa.ngFor more information, please visit https://startuparewa.ng, write to contact@startuparewa.ng, or call us on +234 90 9685 9999. Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Dr. Marliyyah Mahmood discusses the Impact of Tech on Women in Northern Nigeria ACN Newswire

Dr. Marliyyah Mahmood discusses the Impact of Tech on Women in Northern Nigeria

2 1 月, 2023
ABUJA, NG, Jan 2, 2023 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Dr. Marliyyah A. Mahmood, Women In Tech and Project Manager for Startup AREWA, discusses how technology is enabling and enhancing women's empowerment in Northern Nigeria. She emphasizes some of the fundamental advantages of social media technologies, such as giving women access to a virtual environment where they may express themselves.Dr. Marliyyah A. Mahmood, Women In Tech, Project Manager for Startup AREWA, spoke on how technology is enabling and enhancing women's empowerment in Northern Nigeria. [Image: Startup AREWA]"It is impossible to overstate the importance of women in the growth of any nation, state, or community. This is to reiterate the critical role that women's education plays in long-term national development, which begins at home. Women are frequently observed to be the children's first teachers at home. A mother's influence on upbringing in any developing country, and the empowerment of women, has a significant impact on key developmental outcomes like health, education, reproductive patterns, income level, and other factors," said Dr Mahmood. While a report from PWC in April 2020 states that 41% of micro-businesses in Nigeria are owned by women, a report in EFInA stated that 55% of the financially excluded adults in Nigeria are women, and of the 25.1 million financially excluded in the north, 13.1 million are women. Business transactions are largely cash within informal channels, as business funds are kept at home because financial institutions are concentrated in the state capital, while poor record-keeping from transacting through informal channels in turn hampers eligibility for credit.The previous census, which was performed in 2006, indicated that women made up around 49.7% of the population of Nigeria. Despite this, Nigerian women (particularly those in the northern region) have not been able to change the long-standing status that society accords to women. There are a number of reasons why women in Northern Nigerian society are treated unequally, the majority of which can be linked to the patriarchal system in place and the general lack of gender awareness among the rural population, including women who have been socialized to accept their subordinate position.However, with better access to information online, women have developed a greater sense of awareness. Online educational content, blogs videos and social media tools have given women access to a virtual world that provides them with opportunities for self-expression. Digital platforms are aiming to be more inclusive than ever before in light of the changing political conscience. It is now essential, not simply an option, to guarantee women's safety, inclusivity, and a voice at all intersections.Through online workspaces, more women have recently been able to achieve financial independence. There are now more jobs available for women thanks to specific job postings on numerous online portals. Housewives or moms who have taken extended absences from the workforce now have access to special possibilities to re-enter the workforce. Many websites provide part-time and full-time occupations that people can undertake from home.In Northern Nigeria, Startup AREWA and Financial Service Innovation (FSI) organized a virtual hackathon on financial inclusion amongst female entrepreneurs within the northern region by proffering simple and easy-to-use fintech solutions to increase more of their participation in setting up businesses. The innovative solutions developed from this hackathon were able to tackle the challenges faced by unbanked and underbanked female entrepreneurs in Northern Nigeria.Dr. Marliyyah reveals how women now have access to a wide range of created opportunities online as a result of technology advancements. "Technology has helped women affirm their freedom of expression and right to the workforce, which they frequently find difficult to accomplish. This is a really great achievement that shows how it can be utilized to empower those with disadvantaged identities."However, it must not be overlooked that having internet access is necessary in order to take use of these virtual prospects. How many women and members of underrepresented groups actually have access to such technology is still an open subject. To ensure that intersectional gaps are filled and that technology and the internet are more widely available, intervention is necessary in this context."About Startup AREWAStartup AREWA was established to organize, empower and promote the Northern Nigeria technology and Startup Ecosystem, with the overarching goal of using technology and startups as a strategy to combat unemployment and poverty across the Northern Nigeria.From the first Bootcamp at Bello Memorial Foundation Hall in Kaduna to a series of over 20 Bootcamps across Northern Nigeria, engaging over 5000 Startups with support from innovators and public-private leaders, Startup AREWA is implementing its strategic plan of promoting and providing real-time support to Startups.Official website: https://startuparewa.ngFacebook: https://facebook.com/startuparewaTwitter: https://twitter.com/startuparewaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuparewa/Email: hello@startuparewa.ngFor more information, please visit https://startuparewa.ng, write to contact@startuparewa.ng, or call us on +234 90 9685 9999. Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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