Government says gender inequality continues to have a negative impact on the country’s developmental trajectory despite making progress in fostering gender equality through strategic policies.
Gender Department Permanent Secretary, Mainga Kabika, said empowering girls with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related fields is one way to become economically independent and break the barriers of effective economic participation for women.
In a speech read on her behalf by Gender Division Director, Henry Nkhoma, during the Girls in STEM against GBV summit in Lusaka, Ms. Kabika commended the Swedish and Irish governments, the United Nations Development Programme and the Zambia National STEM Foundation for organising the conference that targets the minds of girls to STEM subjects.
“With empowerment in STEM related fields, young girls have the potential to become economically independent as these subjects attract very rewarding jobs which in turn reduces the likelihood of such young women to become solely dependent on the would-be spouses thus reducing the chances of one to be a victim of GBV,” she said.
And United Nations Development Programme Deputy Resident Representative, Roland Seri, said the girls in STEM summit provides an opportunity that showcases the relevance of technology to achieve social and economic empowerment for women and girls.
Mr. Seri said STEM is also a means to achieve Sustainable Development Goal number five.
He has since commended the government for its commitment to empowering women and girls so as to enable them have economic and social empowerment through the Ministries of Education, Technology and Science and the Department of Gender.
“This summit is an important opportunity that showcases the importance of using technology for the social and economic empowerment of women and girls,” he stated.
F00lishly telling us the obvious