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Chronicle Reporter
VICE-PRESIDENT Joice Mujuru yesterday called on the Government to be conscious of the involvement of women and girl children in policy making that involves the provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Speaking at the World Telecommunications and Information Society Day at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo yesterday, VP Mujuru said any development that excludes women and girls was doomed.
The commemorations were held under the theme “Women and girls in ICT..
“We are all aware of the huge differences in accessing ICTs and services between countries. Even within nations, there is a digital divide between urban and rural areas in most countries, regardless of their levels of development,” said VP Mujuru.
“But this year’s theme speaks to yet another form of the divide, which is the difference in access between the two genders. Yet it is not possible to declare that we have advanced when our progress leaves behind the woman and the girl child who constitute 51 percent of the population.”
She said the commemorations were a challenge for the country to consider women in the gender dimension in developing policies that address the digital divide.
“It is through mainstreaming gender issues in ICT into policy development processes that we can aptly address the glaring disparities.
“Some of the areas in which gender issues can be successfully addressed include the e-Government initiative that Zimbabwe has embarked on to make public services accessible to the people in the most efficient way possible,” said VP Mujuru.
She said the advancement of communication technologies and services made it possible to offer education and medical services online.
“It is a common cause that due to historical, patriarchal tendencies in most societies, the girl child is more likely to drop out of school than her male counterpart.
“E-education would therefore alleviate the girl child’s plight. The need for expertise on maternal cases and benefits related to e-medicines are equally obvious,” said VP Mujuru.
The Minister of Information Communication Technology, Nelson Chamisa, said the day was meant to celebrate the uplifting of the role of women and girls in ICT.
“We want the country to be connected, including women and girls, and e-Government should see people accessing education, important information, birth certificates and other important documents online.
“As a ministry, we are making sure that we create ICT through optic cable, but we need all places in the country to be connected,” said Minister Chamisa.
He said the world was fast becoming digital and people, including women and girls, should be exposed to the ICT world.
“This is a digital world and the non-existence of adequate ICTs in the country sends away tourists. Let us see women and girls embracing technology.
“During the liberation struggle, pupils carried with them student companions and dictionaries but with technology they can carry all the information they want in a cellphone,” said Minister Chamisa.
The director-general of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz), Engineer Charles Sibanda, said the authority believed in accelerating progress towards achieving national development.
“We strive to take a leadership role in embracing new technologies that enhance national growth and we make sure that our citizens get maximum benefit from technology.
“Today we are connected to the undersea cable networks through Mozambique, Botswana and South Africa and hope that soon we will connect through Namibia to West African cables,” said Eng Sibanda.
He said this year’s theme was meant to encourage women and girls to make efforts and decisions to ensure equitable access to ICTs.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Potraz manager of networks and standards, Mr
Nicholas Muzhuzha, the United Nations secretary-general, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, expressed concern that information and communication technology could cause harm.
“Cyber bullying, Internet driven human trafficking and other abuses are often targeted at women and girls. We must do everything possible to stop these crimes and promote greater online security for all people.
“More broadly, we should optimise the power of information and communication technology to support sustainable development,” said Mr Ban.
The Minister of Transport, Communication Infrastructural Development, Nicholas Goche, and his Permanent Secretary, Mr Patson Mbiriri, graced the occasion.
Other dignitaries who attended the event were from Kenya and Tanzania.
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