The government of Ghana has put a robust system in place to train girls and young women in ICT and digital skills.
In that regard, significant progress has been made towards bridging the gender gap, in respect of access to ICT education and tools.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu announced this at the 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York.
She also indicated that Ghana was mainstreaming ICT studies as well as coding into the national curriculum to provide young people, including girls with more opportunities to learn digital skills.
“The Ghana Code Club provides support and training to the process by establishing ICT clubs for Junior High School students to become creative and confident in the technology world,” she noted.
The Minister disclosed that Ghana, through the Ministry of Gender Children & Social Protection (MoGCSP), has taken steps to review and update the National Gender Policy.
The policy, according to her, seeks to create equal opportunities for all by mainstreaming gender equality and women’s empowerment concerns into the national development process to improve the social, legal, civic, political, economic and cultural conditions of the country.
“The updated policy document has incorporated current development trends such as ICT and the promotion of women as innovators and entrepreneurs,” she added.
Madam Lariba Abudu charged stakeholders to work together to challenge gender stereotypes and all forms of discrimination in our societies that inhibit girls’ active participation in ICT.
The Minister was accompanied by the Chief Director, Dr Afisah Zakariah and the Director for the Department of Gender, Madam Faustina Acheampong.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
