Develop Digital that Offer Employment Opportunities for Women, AFF Urges African Government

Emma Okonji

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) this week to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, the Africa Fintech Foundry (AFF) has urged governments across African countries, Nigeria inclusive, to develop digital policies that can offer better employment opportunities for women and enhance the liberation of all women in Africa.

Head, Africa Fintech Foundry, Mr. Daniel Awe, who made the call, told THISDAY that government policies must be structured around providing more employment opportunities for women, and encouraging their equal participation in decision-making, especially in the non-agricultural sector of the African economy. 

Giving a critical comparison of the percentage share of women in Africa and Europe, in the non-agricultural sector, Awe said the gap between employed women in Africa and Europe in the non-agricultural sector had grown wide over the years, insisting that only digital policies will bridge the gap and liberate the women folk.

AFF, which is an Access Bank initiative that seeks to nurture and accelerate the growth of Fintech startups in Africa, stressed the need for women empowerment, just as the International Women’s Day celebrates women’s achievements and raises awareness about women’s equality and lobbies for accelerated gender parity.

To buttress the need for women empowerment, Awe cited a recent study carried out by the United Nations, which reveals that globally, women make up 36.3 per cent of local governments, 25.6 per cent of national parliaments and only 28.2 per cent of managerial positions. 

According to him, “There has never been a more critical time than now to empower our women and to harness the diverse skills and talents they possess. At Africa FinTech Foundry, we are proud to have a healthy representation of women in our start-up ecosystem. The Foundry has also organised the Female Digital Academy (FDA) which is a female-focused digital academy, training the next generation of female technology experts on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses and getting them ready for the job market.”

AFF also hosts the “Women In Tech” conference twice a year, along with other ecosystem events with the objective to amplify the voices of women. Similarly, the “W” initiative by Access Bank is a virtual community that aims to inspire and connect women to opportunities nationally and internationally, as well as give them a rewarding banking experience. In simpler terms, the ‘W’ Initiative is the home for everything Access Bank offers women and is open to all women irrespective of who they bank with, Awe further said, adding that ending all forms of discrimination against women is not only a basic human right, but also a progressive action which has multiple positive effects across all areas of life. 

For this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day, the United Nations (UN) announced its theme to be ‘Gender Equality Today For A Sustainable Tomorrow’, in line with two core issues – gender inequality and climate crisis – at the heart of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 

Supporting the theme further, Awe also cited recent figures, which showed that out of the 1.3 billion impoverished people in the world, 70 per cent are women, while 80 per cent of people displaced by climate change and climate related disasters are women and girls.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, including those on gender equality and health. In order to protect women from adversity, there must be a global effort to collectively strengthen initiatives, which address the underlying causes of women’s vulnerability to climate change, such as disproportionate rates of poverty, lack of social empowerment, and inadequate access to health, education and social protection services,” Awe said.