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CITAD Laments Rising Cases Of Technology Assisted Violence In Nigeria

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Malam YZ Yau

 

The Executive Director, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Yunusa Zakari Ya’u has lamented over the rising cases of technology-assisted gender violence in the country.

Briefing Journalists at the centre Wednesday in Kano, Ya’u said, the way in which technology is deployed specifically to harm women and girls, including harassment online, rape, kidnapping and killing facilitated via interaction and use of digital technology is disturbing.

He lamented that within the past two weeks, two very disturbing contents on the internet have been making rounds which degrade and dehumanise women and the individuals involved.

According to him, the first was a posting of sexual escape of students of Chrisland, Lagos in faraway Dubai which went viral, leading to the suspension of academic activities in the school.

The second concerned a lady in Ado-Ekiti who was invited her to a hotel room by her friend who had arranged with his three other friends and not only gang-raped her but also posted the act on the internet.

The third was a case of a lady who was kidnapped for money occurred earlier last month in Abuja when a man the lady befriended on social media invited her to his hotel, only for him and his friends to kidnap her, demanding N50 Million from her parents as ransom.

He said, “There have been many other such cases in which social media friends lured their female friends only to rape them and in some instances, kill them to cover up the crime.

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“Cases of young girls falling victims of this technology assisted crime have been on the rise and are contributing negatively to the efforts to address and overcome the gender dimension of the digital divide in the country, which casts women on the negative side of the divide and making it difficult for them to access and make use of the opportunities and benefits digital technology offers for educational advancement, economic empowerment and social inclusion.”

He added that, CITAD, has for the past five years been engaged in monitoring and countering gender violence online and take this very serious, because we have in an earlier research found that gender-based violence online has been a major factor inhibiting factor for the effective use of digital spaces by girls and women in the country as they have internalised the fear that harmful content online has induced in them.

“In another research, we found that harmful content online is targeted at female politicians and women in career such as female journalists and academics, with the aim of discouraging them from those spaces, thus furthering their marginalization in those spheres. For example, female politicians are subjected to social media abuse and intimidation and that in many of cases, they were forced to drop out of contesting of elections because of this.”

He called on parents and husbands using the same excuse to prevent their daughters and wives from using the internet to adjust in their thinking as the world is transiting into making the use of internet a most a necessity to all.

“In all these cases, it is the country and society that suffer from this criminal misappropriation of the powers of the internet. As learning, commerce, social interactions and government services move online, it means that those left behind digitally or are unable to access and use the internet, will equally be left behind in those other spheres.

“Women constitute slightly more than half of the population of the country. As majority of these women are remaining offline as a result of gender violence online and other harmful contents, it means that a large population of Nigerians is left behind.

“In this situation, Nigeria cannot achieve the sustainable development goals as most of them require effective deployment and use of the internet.

“Girls are at disadvantage in getting admission to higher education because they have been prevented from learning to use digital skills which are necessary for passing the entrance examinations to the higher institutions in the country.

“Yet, here in the North we complain of lack of sufficient number of female doctors and other health related professionals, even when we deny girls the opportunity to learn digital skills to gain admission to study for medical profession.

“Women are the majority of citizens who are identity excluded in Nigeria and consequently also financial services excluded, making it difficult for them to access financial services and progress in business. Lack of identity also is inhibiting their ability to exercise their freedom of movement as some important modes of travel cannot convey people without authenticated identity.

“It is for these reason that we at CITAD takes the issue of technology-assisted gender violence online as a serious national problem, that the government has to consider and take necessary means to address it.

“We note the recent empanelling of a Committee by the Federal Government to study and propose solutions to ensuring the protection of children online.

“While we welcome this action, we would like government to also consider and act in the same manner with respect to gender violence online. It is important to reflect that technology-assisted gender violence is pernicious as it is not easily visible, making the victims to suffer doubly as victims of violence and as victims of stigmatization when they report and make their suffering public. This is why victims do not report, allowing themselves to suffer in silence.”

In this respect, Ya’u, on behalf of the CITAD, called on the federal government as well as state governments to as a matter of national urgency:

– Set up a panel to study and propose solutions to technology-assisted gender violence, including proposing legislations on how to deal with it. In making this call, we would like to caution against throwing the baby with the bathwater.

– Government should not use this as an opportunity to inhibiting access to the internet for citizens but rather improve on how citizens are able to access and safely use the internet.

– The Federal Government should incorporate safety and privacy online in the computer studies curriculum of secondary schools. In this way, computer studies can then not be just done to get a credit for admission to higher institutions but also to get life skills that will prepare the students for successful emersion into the digital world.

– While we have made computer studies compulsory at secondary schools, we have not incorporated safety issues in the curriculum. This gaps should be addressed quickly because learning computer studies is not just for passing examinations but to gain skills that are needed to fit into the digital world of today.

– Lot of the criminal uses of the internet is relating to poor understanding of digital rights.
In particular, government itself has not shown proper appreciation of the importance of digital rights. Without a bill of digital rights, the use of the digital space can be counterproductive as we see it now. In this respect, the National Assembly should quickly pass the Digital Rights Bill and the President should sign it.

– The federal government should also come up with a national digital inclusion agenda that will address the many challenges that inhibit the effective access to and use of the internet. This will contribute greatly in addressing the various dimensions of the internal digital divide in the country.

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I Fulfill My Campaign Promises in Six Months,” Says Walin Kazaure

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The Senator representing Jigawa North-West from Jigawa State, Babangida Hussaini, stated that he has successfully fulfilled most of the significant projects within his first six months in office.

Babangida Hussaini, the Wali of Kazaure, conveyed this during an interview with Radio Nigeria Pyramid reporter Kabiru Muhammad Getso in his office in Abuja.

Hussaini highlighted the projects prioritized in his constituency, including healthcare delivery, education, provision of portable drinking water, and creating employment opportunities for numerous youths.

He attributed the success to the pre-existing blueprint for developing the constituents even before securing the Senatorial seat.

Babangida Hussaini also acknowledged the State Government’s efforts to enhance the standard of living by providing essential social amenities.

“This is something they have been working on since our inception early this year, but there are lingering issues in the economy, such as a drop in internally generated revenue and overpopulation, necessitating Federal Government intervention,” he remarked

In the healthcare sector, everybody recognizes the contribution of women in the election processes, and they are the most vulnerable in our community. That is why plans are underway to upgrade healthcare centers to reduce maternal mortality in our area.”

Senator Hussaini reaffirmed his commitment to supporting health college students with registration fees to alleviate their challenges.

We greatly need young men and women from such health institutions to staff our primary healthcare centers and other hospitals.”

Honorable Babangida pledged to leave no stone unturned and collaborate with other stakeholders to achieve the essence of democracy.

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Inclusive Action for Adolescent Girls’ Education in Kano State: Baseline Survey Findings Revealed

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KANO, Nigeria – In a significant step toward fostering inclusive education for adolescent girls, a gathering was convened in Kano state to disseminate the findings of a baseline survey conducted in Nassarawa and Kano Municipal Local Government Areas (LGAs). Salisu Galadima, a key figure in the initiative, addressed the assembly, shedding light on critical issues affecting girls’ education in the region.

Galadima, while addressing the gathering, emphasized that a staggering 90 percent of school dropouts among adolescent girls in Kano state can be attributed to factors rooted in poverty. He pointed out that economic challenges force many families to withdraw their daughters from school, hindering their educational progress.

Another significant factor contributing to school dropouts, as highlighted in the survey, is the failure of adolescent girls to pass qualifying exams. The pressure and implications of these exams, often shaped by cultural and social norms, create barriers that disproportionately affect girls’ educational journeys.

Iliyasu Muazu Sharada, a village head of Sharada , proposed a unique solution to address the issue. He suggested the cancellation of the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) qualifying exam, contending that such a move would minimize school dropouts. His proposal sparked discussions on the broader implications of exam-centric educational systems and their impact on vulnerable populations.

Amidst the discussions, a prevailing sentiment emerged – the potential negative consequences of monetizing every aspect of education. Participants in the gathering voiced concerns that excessive financial demands within the educational system could exacerbate disparities and lead to increased dropout rates among adolescent girls.

The initiative’s commitment to inclusivity was evident in the diverse group of women drawn from the selected LGAs. The gathering served as a platform for these women to express their perspectives and experiences, contributing valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on improving educational outcomes for adolescent girls in Kano state.

As the dissemination of baseline survey findings marks a crucial step forward, the call for inclusive actions to address the multifaceted challenges faced by adolescent girls in pursuit of education gains momentum. The collaborative efforts of stakeholders and community members aim to create a more equitable educational landscape, ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to thrive in the pursuit of knowledge.

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NNPP seeks EU, U.S, A.U interventions in Kano guber election verdict

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The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has sought the interventions of the United States, European Union and African Union over what they described as manipulations of electoral verdict to overturn the victory of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

At the protests staged on Wednesday in the embassies of U.S, E.U and AU in Abuja, the acting National Chairman of the NNPP, Abba Kawu Ali, said the lower court have compromised in their judgment with the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the Appeal Court verdict indicating that Governor Yusuf validly won the March 18 election.

He added that the NNPP protest in the embassies was to bring the issue to the notice of all well-meaning nations and well-meaning democratic organizations.

Ali said: “If at the point of delivering the judgment, there was a pronouncement that our Appeal failed but the CTC of the same judgment in its conclusive findings actually resolved all the issues in our favour, and even awarded costs in our favour against the APC, this definitely is a riddle.”

Speaking further,  the acting Chairman of the NNPP told the EU that, “We need you to bring your diplomacy, your soft power to play over the Nigerian government, the Nigerian presidency, so that the judiciary is left to do its work.

Further, Ali said, “We don’t need any favors. We want justice. We want justice for the people of Kano. And we say this because Kano is one of the most volatile states in this country”.

Ali, who warned of dangers of electoral injustice, noted that, “It happened in 2019. And it’s happening again. It’s some form of deja vu. We have done our best to tell the people of Kano to remain calm”.

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