IWD: Norsemen seek end to ICT-based violence against women

From Magnus Eze, Enugu

A global humanitarian organisation, De Norsemen Kclub International (DNKI) has called for an end to Information Communication Technology-based violence against women by bridging the digital gender gap in the world.

International President of DNKI, Chidi Anokwu stated this in his message at activities marking this year’s International Women’s Day by the body.

He described the theme of the celebrations: “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” as apt because, millions of women across the globe were left out in the digital spaces, noting that this had retarded their social, economic, cultural, and political achievements.

Anokwu, then, called for an acceleration of gender parity by focusing on the advancement of transformative technology and digital education.

Felicitating with women on the auspicious event, the DNKI which has ‘service to humanity’ as its motto said: “We are not unaware of the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities; hence, our call for every necessary action to be mobilised in protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces and addressing online and ICT-facilitated gender-based violence.

“It is an established fact that bringing women and other marginalized groups into technology results in more creative solutions and has greater potential for innovations that meet women’s needs and promote gender equality. Their lack of inclusion, by contrast, comes with massive costs: as per the UN Women’s Gender Snapshot 2022 report, women’s exclusion from the digital world has shaved $1 trillion from the gross domestic product of low-and middle-income countries in the last decade – a loss that will grow to $1.5 trillion by 2025 without action. So, reversing this trend will require tackling the problem of online violence, which a study of 51 countries revealed 38 per cent of women had personally experienced.

“A gender-responsive approach to innovation, technology and digital education can increase the awareness of women and girls regarding their rights and civic engagement. Advancements in digital technology offer immense opportunities to address development and humanitarian challenges, and to achieve the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals.”

According to the DNKI President, the group believes “that gender equality is cardinal to drive transformative change, so, it should be a priority for policymakers, organisations and governments.”