By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Plateau State Deputy Governor, Josephine Piyo, has reiterated the commitment of the State government to empower women and girls to achieve their full potential as she stated that employment in the 21st-century workforce is focused on science, technology, engineering and math, as well as social entrepreneurship and only those equipped, would be productive members of society.
Mrs. Piyo, made this known while addressing participants at the National Training Camp for the Nigeria Girl Guides Association held in Jos where she stressed that the current administration in the State is “passionate about creating conditions that would unlock the talents, skills and potential of women and girls in the State so that they can live out their dreams.”
Represented by Mrs. Olivia Dazyem, the Special Adviser to Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Gender and Chairperson Implementation Committee of Gender & Equal Opportunities Commission, Piyo, according to a statement by Martha Nyam her Chief Press Secretary noted that, “The National Camp with the theme “Learn and Lead” is apt, adolescent girls are the face of courage, strength and resilience, powerful change-makers driving progress in their families, schools and communities.
“Equipped with the right resources and opportunities, the world’s 600 million adolescent girls can become the largest generation of female leaders the world has ever seen… Employment in the 21st-century workforce is projected to focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and social entrepreneurship.
“At the same time, as scientific and technological solutions rapidly scale and shape today’s economies and societies, girls and women are falling behind in the digital gender divide with large gaps in digital adoption, access, ability and opportunities to equally benefit from technology and the workforce compared to boys and men. In many contexts, adolescent girls have no say in decisions that affect them resulting in programmes that do not respond to their specific needs, hindering them from reaching their full potential.
“The lag begins with education and is fueled by gender stereotypes and traditional expectations of what girls’ and women’s roles are. We believe that with a chance to develop their innate skills and end the discrimination and inequality that stand in their way, there is no limit to what girls can achieve, girls are leaders and world shapers, and investing in their success creates a ripple effect that benefits them along with their families, their communities and entire societies,…when girls succeed, the nation succeeds.”
She urged the girls to take advantage of every legitimate available opportunity to learn so that they can lead and added that without any skill, they may not find the opportunity to participate in development.
Source: Vanguard