The United Nations Institute for African Culture and International Understanding (UNESCO-IACIU) has provided training for a new group of female students on digital skills and knowledge, explaining that the training is to create equal access and career opportunities with men in the creative industry in Africa.
The free training program, similar to the previous two editions, and hosted 20 participants from across Africa was held at the institute’s office in Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently.
Speaking at the forum, Director of the Institute and former executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Peter Okebukola, emphasised UNESCO’s commitment to exposing and equipping more African young men and women, particularly in educational institutions with an interest in the creative arts, with the necessary knowledge and skills to become successful entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries.
He said the target under the project is to empower no fewer than 100 young women, especially in schools, from across Africa by 2024.
Represented at the forum by Ambassador Adebola Labiran, former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India and now Senior Programme Advisor to the institute, Okebukola stressed the relevance of the digital training to participants.
According to him, the training is to improve participants’ digital skills and knowledge and also arouse their interest in the creative industry and consequently closing the gender gap with men in the industry.
He said, “Despite the accumulated efforts and commitments to ensure that women are empowered, today’s women continue to face gender-based barriers that prevent them from accessing and utilising technology and digital tools at the same level as men.”
But digital skills, he explained, have moved from optional to critical as the ability to operate smartphones, laptops, navigate the internet and understand how to safeguard information in digital mediums have become norm and survival skills, today.
So, while the Institute would continue to raise awareness about the UNESCO 2005 Convention and encourage signatory countries to utilise the digital environment to promote and achieve the Convention and its numerous benefits, Okebukola urged participants to make good use of the knowledge gained at the training.
. TheWitness
