Ahmad Tijjani Abdul, Kano
UNICEF in partnership with some International Donor Agencies on Wednesday trained no fewer than 30 girls on Digital Literacy as part of proactive steps to bridge the digital gender divide that exists between them and their male counterparts
The ICT training which took place at the Kwalli Model Primary School, Sabuwar Kofa Kano was as part of activities lined up by UNICEF in the state to mark this year’s International Day for the Girl Child.
International Day for the Girl Child is a day set aside by the United Nations for promoting the rights of girls and addressing the unique challenges they face.
The ICT training attracted beneficiaries drawn from UNICEF’s 6 Focal LGAs in the State where 5 best students were selected from Gwale, Dambatta, Sumaila, Kano Municipal, Tarauni and Nasarawa..
The 2021 celebrations with the theme: “Digital Generation – Our Generation ; Digital Revolution: Not without Girls” would climax next Monday.
In a speech at the training session, Muntaqa Mukhtar Muhammad, UNICEF Education Specialist, Kano Field Office, said “it is a day when diverse groups come together under the same goal to highlight, discuss, and act to advance rights and opportunities for girls everywhere, as girls are both disproportionately affected by gender inequality and have tremendous potential to be leaders for change.”
He said UNICEF Nigeria with the Support of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the UK have since 2021 engaged in the promotion of the rights of the girl child by partnering with different governments and non-government organizations.
Mr. Muhammad said the annual event provides opportunity for a key activation moment to raise up a range of voices and actions to advocate for the provision of equal opportunity of learning for all Nigerian children, especially girls.
Speaking also at the event, the Chairperson High Level Women Advocates, (HiLWA) Prof. Aisha Ismail noted that the training which is a collaboration between HiLWA, and SUBEB with support from the UNICEF is such that can address the numerous challenges of the girl-child.
She said, in line with the 2021 theme which centers around digital generation, the girls are groomed on the use of the computer to enable them master it as they progress the educational ladder bearing in mind that most exams are now CBT based.
“We want these girls to acquire the knowledge and skills to operate the computer from their early years so that they don’t face challenges in the future as they continue their education”.