Using Digital Technologies to Advance Nigerian Women Political, Social and Economic Empowerment by Lamai Ochanya Mercy

Using Digital Technologies to Advance Nigerian Women Political, Social and Economic Empowerment

1. LAMAI, Ochanya Mercy, Department of Mass Communication, Nasarawa State University, Keffi (Email: ochilamai.ol@gmail.com Tel: +234 7035968803)
2. HAUWA’U, Mohammed Mainoma, Department of Education Foundation, Nasarawa State University, Keffi (Email: hauwamainoma@yahoo.com Tel: +234 803 713 2314)

Background
Women’s empowerment plays a critical role in the development of a society (Dhanamalar et al., 2020), as women are able to make choices and become active members of a community and develop capacity. The term Women’s empowerment emerged in the academic literature in the 1970s with a trend in gender equality (Freire, 1970; Grabe, 2011). In recent years, women’s empowerment has been described as a goal in seeking gender equality and equity (Mackey & Petrucka, 2021). In studies across the last decade, it has been used as a term to describe women as having choice or control over their options (Chew et al., 2015; Lindsay et al., 2013; Vivakaran & Maraimalai, 2017).

In low-income countries, women’s equity issues are more prevalent. Women are often deprived of access to educational health and financial systems due to societal norms, religion, and attitudes, preventing access to the formal labour market (Lechman & Paradowski, 2021). Nonetheless, in the World Development Indicators database (International Telecommunications Union, 2020), data reveal that since the 1990s, female labour-force participation rates have been slightly increasing. Between 1990 and 2019, female (15+) labour participation has increased by 1.4pp, 10.5pp, and 2.8pp in various regions worldwide (Tabasum & Crompton, 2022).

The problem of relatively poor women`s participation in the political, social and market economy, i.e., in the job market and in entrepreneurial activities, is broadly acknowledged. The low rate of female political, social and economic activity are some of the negative effects of difficult access to education systems, poorly developed professional skills, and high illiteracy. It happens that women are massively deprived of access to financial systems, political and social positions and they have no permanent income from contracted work. In “traditional” societies, social and religious norms and attitudes often consign the female population to the status of “hidden and usually unpaid” labour. Even in relatively better developed countries, where the female population seems to be treated “equally” to men in terms of free access to the labour market, political and social standings, basic national statistics speak in support of the supposition of the existence of a relatively huge gender wage gap (Lechman and Popowska, 2020). Women are often deprived of being able to exploit their full potential in the political, social and economic spheres of life. They often constitute an unused labour force, are engaged in informal home-based businesses, occupying traditional activities, running home-based businesses. Women are highly vulnerable, suffering from permanent material and institutional exclusion (Klasen 2019), exposed to risk and external shocks. For women access to technology and e.g., financial system is huge barrier to escape economies vulnerability, low-paid, and indecent employment (Beneria et al., 2015). Overcoming gender-specific constraints by the use of digital technologies is likely to be the first important step to exploit the full potential of women in political, social and economic activities.

As advances in online communication technologies continue to grow and being used as avenue to achieve a lot of things, the women folks across the globe have continued to embrace these new communication paradigms to air their voices and to gain new knowledge, as well as to advance their economic and social status. Digital technologies have shaped people’s lifestyles globally; presently, the majority of the world’s population seeks help through online technologies as a portal to learning with the wide variety of learning materials available (Tabasum & Crompton, 2022). Women in both developed and developing countries can access learning through digital technologies (Tabasum & Crompton, 2022). Tetteh Hanna, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa in her speech during the 2023 International Women’s Day wrote that “As technology advances continue and new technologies are being embraced, women’s participation and inclusion is ever more critical to allow them to access emerging technologies that offer opportunities and platforms through which women promote access to basic services”.

She notes further that the connection between women and digital communication platforms and it uses has brought a lot of empowerment to the women folks (Tetteh, 2023). The women use digital communication technologies to support peace-building efforts, political inclusion, give their opinions on social issues and to connect with other women across the world. This implies that digital communication platforms remain strategic in offering women political, economic and social participation in societal activities, but international effort is needed to sustain it. Khozi (2024) posits that with the proliferation of mobile phones and internet connectivity, women and girls can now access educational and political materials as well as training programmes via the online platforms. Through the online avenues, women can now get access to study online, obtain business techniques, pursue market linkages through networks and unlock new gateways to empowerment (Khozi, 2024). Wakiaga (2024) contends that “to immense themselves in the world of Information and Communication Technology and explore the opportunities and careers offered by the ICT world, the women folks should know that digital technology is creating new avenues and opportunities and also moving and evolving very rapidly, and that they should continue to see it as a platform to change their political, social and economic narratives”. A document released by European Parliament in 2013, affirms that online communication platforms have a potential positive influence on women’s empowerment, allowing them to network with other women, create online selves, which build confidence, appeal to other women and peers through styles and issues that are directly relevant and attractive, and provide alternative power basis which might be of interest to mainstream politicians and economists. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to discuss the use of digital technologies in advancing Nigerian women political, social and economic empowerment.

Women Empowerment

The concept of women’s empowerment broadly refers to a process that increases women’s “options, choices, control and power” through women’s own agency (Malhatra, Schule & Boender, 2002). Women’s empowerment is recognized as a right in itself as well as a transformative tool with a multiplier effect for achieving progress in all other areas of social and economic development (UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda, 2012). It is well established that women’s empowerment plays a pivotal role in attaining gender equality, poverty reduction and other internationally agreed development goals. Women’s empowerment leads to a transformation of the structural factors, social determinants and unequal power relations that underpin widespread and persistent gender inequalities that result in women’s unequal access to opportunities and resources across all areas of political, economic, social and cultural life.

Women empowerment gives women the power and authority to control their lives and make decisions that affect them. Empowerment enhances women’s social standing through education, consciousness, literacy and instruction. In this paper, women’s empowerment is when women gain agency, resources, and/or capabilities to make decisions on matters of importance (Kabeer, 1999; Mosedale, 2005) through learning gained from access to information via technology. As women have opportunities with technology, they are able to gain access to information, learn, and make decisions that overcome social, political, and economic obstacles (Cummings & O’Neil, 2015).

Digital Technologies

Digital technologies refer to tools, systems and devices that can generate, create, store or process data. They also mean devices such as personal computers and tablets, mobile phones, software and apps, augmented and virtual reality, and less tangible forms of technology such as the Internet (Kelly, Kervin and Wyeth, 2024). Therefore, the in this paper, the meaning of digital technologies refer to platforms that are more than just spaces for interaction but avenues for women in Nigeria to explore to change their lives politically, socially and economically.

How Digital Technologies are Advancing Nigerian Women Inclusion in Political, Social and Economic Domains

Digital technologies encompass a broad spectrum of online communication platforms ranging from mobile phones and the internet to radio and television. These tools have the power to transcend geographical barriers and connect individuals to a world of information and opportunities. Further, digital technologies have played a part in increasing women’s learning accessibility and choice in the economic realm and other aspects of life. Studies have highlighted that women’s learning through access to finance, mobile money, and inclusive aspects of finance or microfinance, and digital-based health, agriculture have promoted higher female engagement in the formal economy and production and service sectors (Çetin et al., 2020). Technology has advanced women’s engagement in the scientific field and provided political and institutional empowerment (Asongu & Odhiambo, 2020). Digital technologies are the catalyst for empowerment as they provide different ways of accomplishing tasks at any time and location. The activities can be entirely online without leaving home if needed. Digital technologies also offer opportunities to enhance the learning of all possible subjects, with a wealth of instructors providing video and text directions in multiple languages.

For the Nigerian women, digital communication technologies have emerged as a powerful vehicle for political, economic and social empowerment, enabling them to get access to very important information in this regarding, with a view to increasing and sharpening their skills, and participate more actively in developmental and economic issues. Yerima (2024) notes that digital technologies offer women in Nigeria new avenues for economic empowerment. The author argues that with the advent of the internet service, women in Nigeria today do engage in e-commerce, selling homemade crafts, agricultural produce, and other products and services online. Online tools provide the Nigerian women with a wider market reach, enabling them to increase their income and become financially independent. Moreso, digital technologies give them access to financial services such as mobile banking and online payment services, empowering the women to save money, get access to credit facilities, and manage their finances more effectively (Okorafor, 2023). Idris (2023) concurs that digital technologies have proven to be powerful tools for social empowerment of the Nigerian women, enabling them to amplify their voices and advocate for their rights in all ramifications. These online communication platforms provide the Nigerian women an avenue to share their stories and experiences, link up with like-minded people, and mobilise for collective action. They use these digital tools to raise awareness about issues affecting their political, social and economic activities, and challenge discriminatory practices, and demand greater representation in decision-making processes (Idris, 2023).

In summary, digital technologies are advancing Nigerian women inclusion in political, social and economic in the following ways:

1. Increasing Representation: For some years now, a considerable number of Nigerian women have embraced the mobile communication world. Organisations and initiatives that have used digital technologies to promote women representation in all activities include Women in Tech Africa, AfChix, and She Leads Africa, among others. Through online technologies, Nigerian women have employed it to increase their presence in the country’s political, social and economic activities.
2. Entrepreneurship: Another area that digital technologies are supporting Nigerian women is entrepreneurship. Nigerian women are using these digital technologies to launch innovative tech start-ups and businesses. They use these online platforms to address challenges they face in terms of finance, agriculture, health and education. A good example is Farmcrowdy, an initiative by Tope Omotolani, aimed at digitizing Nigerian women agricultural activities.
3. Leadership and Mentorship: Nigeria women are taking advantage offered by the digital technologies to take on leadership positions in companies, organisations and in the political arena. Those of them that are vast in the use of these technologies are using them to mentor others with less knowledge.
4. Advocacy for Diversity and Inclusion: The digital technologies, no doubt, have given the women folks in Nigeria the voice to challenge old practices. They use these online platforms to push for equal opportunities, representation, and fair treatment of women in all workplaces.
5. Education and Skill Development: Digital technologies are equally being used to close gender gap in education and skill growth and development. Organisations and initiatives such as Andela, and African Girls Can Code are assisting in this regard.
6. Networking and Supporting Community Growth and Development: One other critical aspect that digital technologies are useful to the Nigerian women is that they employ these platforms to advance the development policies and programmes in their various communities. They also use these technologies to network; provide peer-to-peer support, foster collaboration, share experiences, knowledge and opportunities.
7. Funding and Investment Opportunities: Access to funding and investment is a critical factor for the success of women using digital technologies. Through organisations such as She Leads Africa, African Women’s Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC) and the African Women’s Development Fund, Nigerian women get support to start and grow their online businesses.
8. Policy and Advocacy: Government and policymakers in Nigeria are of course recognising the crucial role that bridging gender gap in the use of digital technologies can lead to better development. The government of Nigeria is working on various policies and programmes that support women’s participation and inclusion in the digital space. The government of Nigeria has launched various online platforms that aimed at providing training and encouraging women to tap into the huge opportunities in the tech industry.

Challenges Confronting Nigerian Women Use of Digital Technologies in Advancing their Inclusion in Political, Social and Economic Activities

In spite of the huge role that digital communication technologies have played in transforming women political, social and economic activities in Nigeria, there are have been challenges in the use of these online facilities by the women. Access to affordable and reliable internet connectivity remains a major barrier in many Nigerian communities, limiting women’s ability to benefit fully from online resources and services. Further, digital literacy level of women in the country is huge challenge. Many Nigerian women do not have the required knowledge to navigate and use digital technologies effectively to their advantage. Yerima (2024) supports that these challenges include limited access to education and training opportunities, cultural biases and stereotypes, lack of mentorship and networking opportunities, and gender discrimination in the workplace, infrastructure limitations and gender-based violence.

Yerima (2024) further notes that according to 2018 report by the World Wide Web Foundation, only 17% of women in Nigeria have access to the internet, compared to 29% of men. This disparity hinders their ability to participate fully in the digital economy and limits access to information, education and essential services. According to a report by Caribou Digital and the MasterCard Foundation, a lot of Nigerian women face a range of barriers to digital inclusion, ranging from limited access to digital infrastructure to lack of digital literacy, social norms that discourage them from pursuing their careers in technology (Okamgba, 2024). The report further states that gender gap in digital technology adoption and skills could have far-reaching consequences, including limiting the ability of women in Nigeria and Africa at large access to information, networks, and opportunities, and potentially exacerbating existing gender inequalities (Okambga, 2024). These challenges are compounded by a disproportionate number of women impacted by online bullying, harassment, and body shamming, hindering their online engagement for political, social and economic purposes.

How to Overcome the Challenges

Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from government, cooperating partners, Non-Governmental Organisations, and other stakeholders including chiefs and traditional leaders to invest in infrastructure development, promote digital literacy programmes, and tailor digital communication initiatives to the specific needs and preferences of the women. By prioritising gender-inclusive policies and programmes, policymakers can create an enabling environment where Nigerian women can leverage online communication platforms to contribute their quota in line with political, social and economic activities. ….concurs that digital technologies have a lot of potential for empowering women and bridging the gender gap in access to opportunities and resources. Thus, since digital platforms have paved ways for women in Nigeria to contribute in all areas of national life, government needs to find solutions to critical infrastructure hindering the use of digital technologies in the country.

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