FILE PHOTO: The United Nations logo is seen on a window in an empty hallway at United Nations headquarters during the 75th annual U.N. General Assembly high-level debate in New York, U.S., September 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo
MANILA Philippines — The Philippine government has underscored the need for media and digital literacy education to address the digital gender gap and empower women.
According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday, country representatives Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Head Executive Assistant Patricia Nicole Uy delivered this statement during the 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York (UNCSW67).
During the dialogue with youth representatives, Uy said the Philippine government recently completed the first-ever national survey to generate baseline data on women’s access, use and skills in information and communications technology (ICT).
Under the survey, Uy said women are currently underrepresented in the ICT sector.
“[With this], we tailored our efforts accordingly. We also launched the Digital Innovation for Women Advancement Program,” she said.
She noted that the government trained nearly 94,000 women in 1,100 capability development activities such as web and software development, blockchain and cybersecurity.
“As we move forward, we will continue to work to ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the opportunities that digitalization can offer. With a focus on inclusivity and accountability, we hope to continue to serve the Filipino youth and women by empowering them in this new digital world,” Uy said.
The DICT official, however, explained that the benefits of digitalization in countries with low levels of digital literacy, including the Philippines, are for naught as they are often underutilized.
In line with this, she cited data showing that 82.7% of the Filipino population had a Facebook account, and only 8% aged fifteen and above possess basic ICT skills.
Uy further explained that 53.7% of these Filipino Facebook users are women, which puts them at a higher risk for sexual harassment and abuse in cyberspace.
‘’Those exposed to social media at a young age tend to follow trends blindly, due to the ‘Fear Of Missing Out’ which usually leads to personal data being collected without their knowledge,’’ Uy pointed out.
“Therefore, it is crucial not only to provide access to technology but also to educate users on how to use it safely and responsibly,” she added.
This year’s United Nations’ observance of International Women’s Day bears the priority theme: ‘’DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,’’ which puts centerstage women and girls championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education.–Vance Chan, Inquirer.net, trainee