INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2023: HARNESS DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITES FOR WOMEN AND CLOSE THE GENDER

INEQUALITY GAPS

8TH MARCH 2023, Accra

The Aya Institute on the observation of International Women’s Day, extends greetings to all
Ghanaian women, young and old to recognise, celebrate and centre the abiding progress of
women in Ghana. Despite the historical and current challenges that women face, women have
been consistent in making strides towards their varied goals in life, amidst surviving the barriers
and becoming inspirational to other women. On this day, we celebrate individual women and
pro-gender organizations alike who keep working towards achieving a gender-responsive society
through individual and corporate efforts.

This year’s theme “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” is significant because
we have in the last decade, witnessed new ways of using digital technology to break barriers and
close the various inequality gaps.

Increasing access to digital technology for women has rippling impact on their businesses and
the management of their homes and community through the access to information and data.
Some women are better able to balance the conflicting demands of work and family through the
flexibility and enablement of digital platforms. While advocating for access in digital technology
through the provision of infrastructure, providing a safe space for Ghanaian women who use
digital technology for several uses; business development and promotions, customer-care and
feminist crowd-support and advocacy, will go a long way to achieve gender equality.

Ghana has made significant gains especially in the training and recognition of women in
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Innovation through the ‘Girls in ICT’
initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Communication and Digitalization. This initiative is
laudable as it recognises young girls excelling in this area and encourages other school girls to
participate in this initiative thereby having a better representation ultimately.

We applaud the Ministry and its allied institutions for these initiatives and additionally for
the newly-established Cyber Security Authority.

Aya Institute on this day is asking government, international development partners, academic
institutions, business support entities, CSOs and all stakeholders of national development to
first, recognize the instrumental role digital technologies can play in breaking barriers.

The Aya Institute admonishes same that we harness digital technology for advancing gender
equality. Improved digital structures in education, health, business, and general day to day
transactions in different aspects of our lives will expand women’s lives and opportunities and
bring them closer to better living standards.
For more information, kindly contact Ms Bridget Biney on 0265104784/0552534931 or email
bbiney@ayainstitute.org . Our websites tell you more about our work

www.ayainstitute.org
www.genderwatchghana.com
www.sknafrica.com

END