Mrs Oluyode Omotola is a widow with six kids to feed, Her husband is gone, but she holds on tight to memories of growing old together.
“I thought we’d grow old together,” she says with sorrow, But she must be strong for her children and their tomorrow.
But her daughter tells us a different story, of a mother struggling to keep it together.
“She’s only holding back, for our sake, to appear uncouth.”
African women tend to ignore so much in the name of strength, Focusing entirely on their children’s well-being at any length, And this is even more true for widows, painted with societal shades, Their children are seen as a menace, irresponsible without fatherly aides.
Discrimination against them is even worse from close family ties, Adding more burden to their already heavy daily tries, But technology can be a way to break down these walls, connect with the outside world and answer technology’s calls.
However, Mrs Elizabeth seems uninterested in going that far, Perhaps due to lack of capability or it not being a priority by far, Her daughter is not saying anything different, not recognizing its importance, Fearing the internet is not safe for their mental health, so they maintain a distance.
Apparently, both Omolola and her mother are aware of the importance of technology, but understanding its importance is not enough and not relevant enough to get involved.
“I am not on any social media but my children do, if I need anything, I can ask them”
“Some people will come and claim they have our interest at heart but record them and make content to portray them as beggars on the internet,” Mrs. Elizabeth says.
Data shows that with 259 million fewer women having access to the internet, this digital gap between the sexes must be closed, there is no argument, for it is one of the reasons why women hold fewer sensitive positions, Self-restrictions and societal barriers preventing them from reaching their ambitions.
These societal barriers have drained their psychological, social, and innovative life, Built walls around them, blocking them from opportunities rife. March is women’s month and one of its days’ is set aside to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023 with the theme DigitALL, The United Nations calls for the inclusion of women in digital development for gender equality’s call.
The UN recognises women and girls championing technology’s advancement, encouraging more women to embrace it, and breaking down barriers with every advancement.
