THE NEED FOR TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL NOW MORE THAN EVER

Based on my personal story and experience of how technology have helped me tremendously, Internet made my silent voice to become a voice to be reckoned with globally. It brought me out my small hole to the global world,  I have always known that Access to internet is like access to life itself. However, the importance of access to internet for all have never been so evident a it is now during the COVID 19 pandemic. The lock down everywhere around the world and everything, information, education, communication, Interaction totally became online thing. The whole world now depend solely on technology.

The implication of this is that half of the world population without internet, women and girls with no digital education has been cut off from discussions on COVID 19 going on round the world, they are cut off from vital information, communication and interactions with their loved ones.

Internet became the most useful tool in doing all these round the world especially during the COVID 19 pandemic. In some part of the world, class continue for student, education continues for their children online. Whereas in places like my own country, students are still at home because the rural areas that house 60% of the country populations have either no or epileptic internet. How then can they organize online classes? It is impossible. 

The time to intensify our effort globally to create a Fast, Affordable, Safe and Transparent (FAST) globally is now. The time to include everyone irrespective of their gender in technology is now, The time to intensify digital literacy for everyone especially the marginalized women is now.

How can we achieve this? All hands must be on deck. The government, the civil societies and grassroot NGO have to play our parts in the development of policy of technology for all, affordable and accessible internet for all, safe and transparent internet for all the genders and digital literacy and education for all especially the female gender that are far behind. No one must be left behind, male or female, old or young, educated or illiterates, poor or rich because whether we like it or not, in our world now, I will continue to say it, "access to internet is like access to life itself"