The vice chancellor of the University of Uyo, Professor Nyaudo Ndaeyo, has decried the wide digital gender disparity against women, saying it has impacted negatively on both the economic and social fortunes of the women and society.
Professor Ndaeyo stated this Thursday in Uyo to mark the end of three-day activities for the 2023 International Women’s Day celebration organised by the Centre for Gender Studies in collaboration with the Conference of University of Uyo Women’s Organisation.
The VC blamed the disadvantaged position of women in the society on their inability to measure up with the men in many respects, saying it exposes the lapses of the concept of equality in gender mainstreaming.
However, he stated that the university has helped to mitigate the disadvantage by creating equal opportunity for both male and female to excel in the digital and technological space.
“The International Women’s Day is not only worth celebrating, its message and significance are worth internalising. The theme for this year “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” is very apt as it highlights, the imperative for greater accessibility of women to technological education for we know that today’s world is driven by technology.
“However, there is undeniably, a wide digital gender gap and the resultant social and economic consequences on women and society at large. As an institution, we have created an equitable opportunity for both male and female to excel in the digital and technological space.
“In other words, in line with the campaign slogan of this year’s event which is “Embrace Equity” the University of Uyo takes cognisance of the peculiarities of women viz-a-viz the highly demanding responsibilities imposed on them by nature and society.
“This makes them somewhat disadvantaged and unable to meet or measure up with the male folk under an equal world. This brings to fore, the shortcoming of the concept of equality in gender mainstreaming.
“It is against this backdrop that the concept of embracing equity emerged to address the inconsistencies and bridge the gaps created over the years by the erroneous idea of gender equality,” he stated.
