Forty Adolescent Girls To Celebrate the Significance of October 11th 2021

Admin CAGEAD, Fri 29th, Oct 2021, 13:36

ERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD

CAGEAD brings together y Adolescent Girls Come To Celebrate the Significance of October 11

It’s been eight busy years, of hard work aimed at highlighting the importance of inserting resources and skills into all adolescent girls around the world. This year, 11 of October, the international day of the girl child was celebrated under the theme “Digital generation, our generation”. According to UNESCO (2021), with everything that has been achieved so far there has been an increase in the gender digital divide from 11% in 2013 to 17% in 2019 globally, and 43% in least developed countries. The theme then signifies that, girls lack access to digital technology and it is also a call for these girls to know their digital realities and also work out possible solutions.

With that background in mind, the Center for Advocacy in Gender Equality and Action for Development CAGEAD in collaboration with eBASE, ASOWWIP, S.W.O, ASWEDO, CAWAS, engaged the digital realities of 40 adolescent girls on the 10th of October 2021 to celebrate international day of the girl child and learn more on the theme and its significance. Each of the above partners brought at least 5 participants from their organizations. The celebration took place at Immaculate Conception building at knwen. The day began with the girls introducing themselves to each other and taking their respective seats in the hall. There was a task for the girls to create short songs on what they understood from the theme on the banner. In about 30mins 5 different groups presented their songs. It was a mind blowing competitive activity. But it could be only one winner and the Girls Up at CAGEAD (GUAC) team, won the competition.

Participants in the hall Participants marching and dancing

There was then a match pass of all the adolescent girls around the center singing and dancing to the rhythm of the song. Their happy voices called on everyone to work with them so that they could breach the gap that separates the girls from the digital world. The lead girl peer educator at CAGEAD, Verina Mondua, then elaborated on the theme, its significance, the plan of action to be taken as young girls and also the way forward and how the girls can get involved.

The girls were further enlightened on the Do’s and Don’ts of social media and the type of social media apps by Mrs Esther Choves. The day ended with a presentation on Cyber health and how to combat SGBV using digital tools by a young researcher at ebase, Miss Anna. They were introduced to be “KwikKlick” app, which is an app that addresses cases of GBV.

“It is my second time attending the international day of the girl child and this year’s theme is really important. As a science student, I have always thought that I won’t be very important in the science world” said Ngala Ulgaone of the participants. She added that she is 19yrs and doesn’t have a laptop or ever held any gadget apart from a phone and the computers at school, with the inspiration from the session she would increase her knowledge on other technologies like a camera and also work on her creative mind to come out with more suggestions for technology.

At the end of this celebration, the girls were called upon to improve their access to digital technology, and engage in producing the type of technology they need and be able to express themselves on digital online platforms available so that they could breach the digital gender gap. It is not enough that they become acquainted with the existing technology; they should also be part of the existing enterprises that produce the technologies. Some dignity kits and food hampers were distributed to the participants.

It is no news that there has been an increase in the worlds internet use because of the covid-19 pandemic which brought about many barrier measures, which led to online schooling, and many other activities which are now carried out online. There is no internet connection without digital technology, and if the girls, who are the most vulnerable, are left out from this digital sphere then there is a problem. And it needs all necessary stakeholders to come on board to solve it.

By Verina Mondua