Women in ICT Summit Nigeria

Women in ICT Summit (WITS) will be holding at the National Centre for Women Development Garki, Abuja from 18^th – 20^th of September, 2012. Organized by the High Tech Women Centre for Nigerian Women and Youths, a Non Governmental Organisation, WITS is an annual event for Nigerian women in the public and private sectors.  

According to the announcement, this year’s Summit is themed “Effective Implementation of Governments’ Transformation Agenda and Policies through ICTs: Issues, Opportunities and Roles for Nigeria Women”. It aims at addressing the feasibility/possibility of women using ICT in promoting local and indigenous implementation of Government Policies (i.e. ICT, STI, Health, Agriculture, Environment, Trade and Commerce Policies) and its effects on the respective communities. 

The release notes that women constitute over half of the world’s population and contribute in vital ways to societal development generally. In most societies women assume five key roles: mother, producer, home-manager, and community organizer, socio-cultural and political activists. 

However, the release states concern that major institutional constraints to women’s participation in economic activities and development process in societies are inadequate access to factors of production and trade, lack of credit facilities, lack of training opportunities, skill acquisition, limited access to appropriate production technologies and social inclusion. It states further that one of the greatest problems facing the Nigerian economy is the techniques in formulation and implementation of national policies. Observing that the role of women is quite important in the formulation and implementation of all policies, the release states that efforts through special legislation, state bye-laws and gender specific policies at all levels of government and by the civil society though note-worthy, have not deliver dividends of development to women and men equitably.

Women and ICT

Noting that Information Communications Technology (ICT) is the bedrock of educational and socio-economic developments, the release states that it has been widely proven that “Technology needs women for all sorts of reasons”.  A major thrust in the effort to close the gender gap and to get women involved in ICT for personal, gender, social and financial empowerment has been encouraged. The importance of ICTs to women lies less in the technology itself, but in the capacity to facilitate improved access to information and communication. ICTs find applicability in virtually every field of human endeavour namely education, health, transport, social work, politics, law and even religion; facilitating greater access to market information, fostering learning opportunities through distance-learning, as well as raising incomes of families through e-commerce. Women need to be informed with the latest technology and the trend in technological development as they exert significant influence on the children and their immediate environment to be able to contribute sufficiently to policy implementation.

Who to Attend

Women of Ages from 20years and above

Policy Makers and Female Parliamentarians

Public Sector Personnel (Federal, State and Local Government Workers)

Organised Private Sector

Business Women

NGOs and Civil Societies

Academia

Professional Bodies

Female Students (Undergraduate and Post graduates)

Fees and Important Dates

Summit Fees:

·         Early Registration: On or before 14^th of September, 2012                  N32,000.00

·         Late Registration: After 14^th to Payments at Summit Venue              N 37, 500.00

·         Students Fees Early: On or before 14^th of September, 2012 -           N 27,000.00

·         Students Fees Late: After 14^th till Summit Venue                  N 32,500.00

For Enquiries, Sponsorship and Registration:

Contact Event’s Manager/Consultant – HOJOB Consults Ltd on 08034241874, 08126374612;

Or Deola on 08055204972 and Kehinde on 08067126935