By Julian Owusu Abedi
The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization (MCD) has held a forum in Accra to encourage more women to pursue careers in the field of Technology and Cybersecurity.
The resource persons who were on hand to share their experience and hold discussions under the topic; ‘Empowering Women To Step Into the Tech and Cybersecurity Careers’ included Ms Farida Bedwei, (CEO of Byte the Bits), Mrs Patricia Obo-Nai (CEO of Vodafone Ghana), Adjoa Asamoah (Bank of Ghana Information Systems Audit Lead), Ms Adoma Peprah, Country Manager for Visa card and lastly Ms Folake Olagunu, Programmes Officer for Internet and Cybersecurity for ECOWAS.
The moderator of the forum and Minister for Communication and Digitalization Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, on her part appealed to the resourced persons who have made it in the cybersecurity and technology fields to serve as mentors to the young women and girls who are starting up.
Hon. Ursula bemoaned the low representation of women in the Cybersecurity and ICT field and continued to urge the women who are ICT professionals to mentor and inspire the women and young girls to develop serious interest in the ICT and Cyber world.
She also noted that “the priority and policy of the government is to address the gender digital gap and also neutralize the domination of the sector by men,”
She added that government would continue to create an enabling environment for women and girls to pursue careers in cybersecurity and ICT.
The Chief Director of the MCD, Mrs Magdalene Apenteng who also spoke at the forum stressed that there was the need to bridge the digital gender divide.
She also indicated government’s committed to working with the National Cybersecurity Authority to address the gender digital gap.
