M Arsalan Ali

Experts at an event in the federal capital highlighted the crucial role of women in building a thriving society, and the need for gendered digital policies and affirmative action to increase women's access to digital technologies and make cyberspace safer for them.

The event titled “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” was organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of SDPI, highlighted the crucial role of women in building a thriving society, from the household to the nation. He emphasised the urgent need to recognise and support this role to ensure progress and prosperity of the country.

Dr Suleri highlighted that the fourth industrial revolution and the digital technology revolution have provided new opportunities for women empowerment, entrepreneurship, transparency, and financial inclusion. However, he also pointed out the challenges posed by these revolutions, such as online harassment and the exclusion of women from cyberspace.

The SDPI executive director emphasised that it is crucial to provide women with equal opportunities to participate in the digital revolution and ensure their voices are heard in shaping the digital landscape. Shamama Tul Amber Arbab, co-founder of Euro Industries, emphasised the need for equity, rather than mere equality, to provide women with more opportunities, exposure, and chances to reach parity with men.

Shamama stressed the need for advocacy to bring about a paradigm shift in people's thinking about women. She urged society to adopt a more inclusive mindset and support women in their pursuit of success.

To promote gender balance at workplace, Shamama recommended the implementation of gender credits, where organisations and corporates that hire more women are given credits, contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She underscored the importance of incentivising companies to employ more women, beginning with national internship programmes.

Shamama also acknowledged the significant number of women who drop out of the workforce after marriage and childbirth, suggesting that incentives could help keep them in the workforce and contribute towards the economy.

Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, while speaking on the occasion said that bridging the digital gender divide is crucial for the economic and social development of Pakistan. To achieve this, she said the government is committed to implementing more policies and initiatives that will enable women to access digital skills and the internet.

She highlighted that Pakistan is facing a significant digital gender divide, with women being 38% less likely to use the internet than men.Ayesha Nasir, founder of ScaryAmmi, emphasised the need to prioritise the empowerment of mothers in Pakistan, a demographic that is often overlooked in discussions on gender equality.

Ayesha highlighted the unique challenges faced by mothers in terms of career trajectories and access to technology, and suggested that providing digital skills training could have a significant impact on closing the gender gap.

Despite the fact that mothers make up the largest movement of entrepreneurship in the country, they often face discrimination in government efforts and entrepreneurship loans. Ayesha emphasised the need to address this disparity and ensure that mothers are given equal opportunities to succeed.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk