The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has decried the low level of internet access and online participation of the female gender in Kano.

That, according to the centre, constituted a major impediment to the educational and other facets of development of the women folk.

“This means that if women are not online, their right to participation in governance has been shortchanged. Our research has shown that less than five per cent of the public girls secondary schools in Kano have access to internet. We must say no to this situation. Like men, women also have the right to access and utilize internet,” she stated.

By Bashir Muhammad Kano.

Assistant Programme Officer, Gender and Internet Advocacy of the Centre for Information Technology and Development, Hajiya Maryam Haruna has said the centre had purposefully introduced Internet Governance Forum (IGF) as a way of ensuring women inclusion in the internet business.
Speaking at a press conference on gender-based online research carried out by CITAD held in Kano yesterday, Haruna stated that the Internet Governance Forum is a multi-stakeholder forum for policy dialogue on issues of internet governance that brought together stakeholders in the internet governance to debate on an equal basis and through an open and inclusive process.

According to her, access to internet was extremely important for women to be able to gain information which may not be available to them, adding that the Nigerian women’s participation on the internet was very low, especially in the North and that their participation and representation in the IGF, as the ratio of male to female at the global IGF was nearly 50:50.

She said gender-based internet challenges such as gender violence online and gender digital divide just like in the case of women’s physical challenges, required specific approaches in addressing them and wondered how women’s voices could be heard when they were not in the picture of events that shape internet policies in the state.

She pointed out that the key objectives of first Internet Governance Forum were to provide a platform for women to strategize on how to increase Women participation in the IGF process and to aggregate Women issues and concerns that they would want see tabled at the global IGF holding in November 2018 in Paris, France.

About 210 young rural entrepreneurs from 14 communities of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, participated in CITAD’s two–day Business Facilitation Clinic on entrepreneurship, leadership and personal development held at Kuje, Abuja between August 14 and 15.
ADAM ALQALI writes
The Business Facilitation Clinic themed “Creating Space for the Development of Young Entrepreneur” which was organized by Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) and Action Aid Nigeria was aimed at supporting young rural entrepreneurs from the FCT.
The event brought together almost 250 participants from across 14 rural communities of the FCT, representatives of relevant government agencies, social entrepreneurs and startup specialists from an array of sectors who have made an impact in their various societies.
According to the CITAD Executive Director, Y.Z.Ya’u “Every year the 12th of August sees the commemoration of International Youth Day (IYD).
The theme for International Youth Day 2018 is “Safe Spaces for Youth”.
This year’s event will facilitate a dialogue on safe spaces between governments, civil society, and -most importantlyyouth groups, with the goal of offering practical solutions to the challenges of creating youth-friendly spaces”.
Yau added that Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) In Partnership with Action Aid Nigeria deliberately made the Business Facilitation Clinic to coincide with International Youth Day 2018.
“This is because the world’s young people could set the world on course towards a more sustainable future.
Young people are traditionally cutting-edge and today’s young people are more informed than those of the previous generation.
Digital inclusion is a tool for enhancing socioeconomic and political development, technology is driving innovations,” said Yau.
Yau who was represented by Ahmad Muhammad Danyaro, CITAD Head of Abuja Office/ Programme Officer posited that educating and inspiring rural entrepreneurs was one of the targets for CITAD’s digitalization for equitable society project being implemented in 15 communities of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In her presentation themed “Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship” CITAD’s programme assistant, Salma Abdulwaheed said entrepreneurship can serve as the key to unlocking economic potentials and lifting people out of poverty in developing countries and emerging markets.
She then spoke about the roles and tasks of entrepreneurs around gathering markets information, risks analysis, managerial analysis, the entrepreneurial personality and attributes of an efficient start up manager.
Corporate Affairs Commission braze the trail with an enriching presentation by Deputy Director, Customer Service Department ,Mrs Modey Leticia Akugbo on Procedure and Requirement for Registering Business stating that CAC services had been simplified and digitalized and therefore can be assessed through the CAC website – www.service.cac.ov.ng .
Mrs Modey said The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) is a government agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria charged with the responsibility for incorporation, registration and regulation of the management of Companies, Business Names and Incorporated Trustees.
She further stated CAC is also vested with powers to investigate the affairs of Companies, Business Names and NGOs and enforce compliance with all regulatory requirements as provided in the companies and allied matters Act (CAMA).
After a highly interactive question and answer session and tea break, Representative of Minister of Youths and Sport, Mr Hamid Nagogo emphasised the need to capitalise on new technology to improve enterprenuers’ knowledge adding that technological progress will favour job creations among the youths.
He commended CITAD/ Action Aid for the Digital Inclusion project in communities, admonishing the participants to utilize the rare opportunity and use the acquired knowledge to empower themselves, development their community and participate in governance.
The day was rounded up with an experience sharing session tagged “Owning Your Life ” by Bashirat Abdulwahab, a social entrepreneur and motivational speaker who spoke about how young entrepreneurs could face the challenges and opportunities that lie in starting up new business venture.
She noted that with passion, determination, persistence and absolute consistency and networking young entrepreneurs will achieve success.
In her closing remarks, CITAD Programme Assistant, Miss Kaltumi Abdulaziz appreciated the role of partners in making the forum a success story, she added that “Business Facilitation Clinic” was meant designed to empower young innovators through networking, skills building, mentoring, and access to financing to develop startup solutions that address their economic and development challenges.
She said “The idea behind this business clinic is to continually support digital rural startups in Nigeria in the area of providing education, training & information that will enhance their business management skills.
Assemblage of this nature create a platform where business regulatory bodies, business development service providers and businesses can interact and provide solutions to challenges inhibiting the setup and growth of startups”.
Miss Kaltumi further commended government agencies and ministries for their enriching participation and presentations which further educated the 210 participants on key functions of relevant government agencies and modern business management strategies

By: IBRAHIM  ADAMU,  Kaduna.

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), supported by USAID/SACE project has organized a capacity building on effective collaboration between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and media practitioners in order to improve governance and increase service development effectiveness through service delivery.

Declaring the workshop open on Thursday, the Senior Program Officer CITAD, Isah Garba, said the capacity building is geared towards collective approach in coming together for a common goal especially in the education sector.

“For effective development to yield results, there is need for collaboration between the CSOs and the Media being the key actors in the democratic dispensation.  What informed the decision was to come together and discuss ways of improving our synergy to be able to work towards the challenges of the region”.

Garba further said, access to information, civil society capacity building, institutionalization, state/CSO synergy are the key tools in the social accountability.

New Nigerian also noted that as a result of misplacement of priority, many projects have been abandoned in the region which calls for concern.

Topics such as understanding collaboration and social accountability were discussed in which CSOs and media practitioners across the Northeast sub-region were in attendance.

The Centre for Information, Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from MacArthur Foundation conducted a sensitization workshop on Hate Speech and Fake News to the students of University of Abuja, Mini Campus, Gwagwalada with 81 students in attendance from the department of Political Science on 10^th September, 2018.

The Sensitization workshop which was conducted at the University of Abuja, Mini Campus, Gwagwalada train the students on the tools on how to report hate and dangerous speech online and identifying fake pictures.

The essence of the sensitization is to shape the youth to be ambassadors of peace in their various institutions, communities and associations.

Dr. Sadeequ A. Abba gave an opening remark, which opens the mind of the students on the essence of the sensitization.

The spread of Hate Speech and Fake News have become an issue of concern in our society most especially on social media platforms. It is in this view that CITAD is implementing a project on Peace and Curbing Hate, Dangerous Speeches and Fake News both online and offline with the support of MacArthur Foundation. CITAD found it very paramount to engage students of tertiary institutions which is called the ‘Campus Series’ to sensitize them about the negative impact of spreading such kind of information in the society.

The target audiences are the youth and also the majority on Social media platforms; they are task on the role they can play in curbing this menace.

At the sensitization workshop, many of the students during the pre-sensitization have an idea about hate and dangerous speeches but they do not know or have an in-depth knowledge about it and its dangers.

A paper was presented: Understanding Hate and Dangerous Speeches and Speed geeking Sessions: Using Technology to Combat Hate Speech via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and identifying fake pictures on Google which was facilitated by Salma Abdulwaheed and Kaltumi Abdulazeez.

The participants were given the opportunity to ask questions and comments. It was also discovered that most of the participants lack the technical knowledge on how to report Hate Speech online.

At the end of the workshop, the students pledge to use the knowledge they acquired effectively and also extend the training to their colleagues, friends and families. The sensitizations made the students aware of what dangerous speeches are which they also cite examples. They are willing to take actions against spreading hate speech by reporting such cases when they come across it

At the end of the workshop, the president of the National Association of Political Science Students (NAPSS) gave the vote of thanks. She appreciates the good work of CITAD for organizing an enlightening program and she said they have gained wealth of knowledge about hate speech. The workshop came at a time when the general election is fast approaching.

Introduction

Over the last 10 years, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has empowered hundreds women and girls with both ICT skills and entrepreneurship with the hope of turning them into successful entrepreneurs, setting up and running their own small scale businesses either ICT-based or non-ICT that leverage ICTs to make them effective and successful. To support them in actualizing their entrepreneurship dreams, CITAD has now introduced a Softoption Business Loan Scheme for Young Women Entrepreneurs.

Objectives

The objectives of the loan scheme are:

1. Provide easily accessible loan to deserving beneficiaries of our entrepreneurship programmes
2. To contribute to job creation by helping to nurture small scale enterprises by women
3. To further consolidate efforts at reducing the gender digital divide by enhancing the chances of young women to leverage ICTs for their economic empowerment

The Softoption Business Loan

This is a short term facility available to women who have gone through our entrepreneurship training programmes. The size is between N50, 000 to N100, 000 and repayable between 12 to 18 months. Repayment period are flexible and based on the amount and installment payment rate.

The loan is not for buy machinery or major tools and so business plan should not include buying machinery and tools.

Qualification

An interested young woman must meet the following conditions:

1. Must have undergone the Digital Livelihood training or any digital entrepreneurship training of CITAD
2. Must have a CAC registered enterprise
3. Must have acceptable business plan proposal
4. Must have two guarantors that would serve as sureties to the beneficiary and would bear responsibility for repayment if the beneficiary fails to repay
5. Must be between the age of 18-30 years old

Operations

Application forms would be available from CITAD. Completed applications would be submitted along with business plan and copy of the candidate’s certificate. A team would then evaluate the business plan and judge its suitability and potentials for growth and sustainability.

Although all businesses with potential for success are eligible, preference would be given to either ICT-based ones or those with clear use of ICTs.

For more information contact info@citad.org or phone 08091922203.

By Salma Abdulwaheed.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from MacArthur Foundation conducted a sensitization workshop on Hate Speech and Fake News to the students of School of Nursing and Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The spread of Hate Speech and Fake News have become an issue of concern in our society most especially on social media platforms. It is in this view that CITAD is implementing a project on Peace and Curbing Hate, Dangerous Speeches and Fake News both online and offline. CITAD found it very paramount to engage students of tertiary institutions which is called the ‘Campus Series’ to sensitize them about the negative impact of spreading such kind of information in the society.

The target audiences are the youth and also the majority on Social media platforms, they are task on the role they can play in curbing this menace.

The Sensitization workshop which was conducted at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Gwagwalada train the students on the tools on how to report hate and dangerous speech online and identifying fake pictures.

The essence of the sensitization is to shape the youth to be ambassadors of peace in their institutions, communities and associations.

At the sensitization workshop a paper was presented: Understanding Hate and Dangerous Speeches and Speed geeking Sessions: Using Technology to Combat Hate Speech via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and identifying fake pictures on Google which was facilitated by Salma Abdulwaheed and Kaltumi Abdulazeez.

The participants were given the opportunity to ask questions and comments. It was also discovered that most of the participants lack the technical knowledge on how to report Hate Speech online.

At the end of the workshop, the students pledge to use the knowledge they acquired effectively and also extend the training  to their colleagues, friends and families.

At the end of the workshop, the Vice Principal gave his vote of thanks. He appreciate the good work of CITAD for organizing an enlightening program and he said the students and staff present had  gained  wealth of  knowledge about hate speech. The workshop came at a time when the general election is fast approaching.

He further advice the students to stay out of violence or anything that will hinder the peace of the country.