Accra, Ghana//-MTN Ghana teamed up with Mobile Web Ghana, a leading technology hub to impart cyber security knowledge on Girls-in-ICT as part of this year’s Open Day of the National Girls-in-ICT Day Celebration which began on Monday, 25 April 2022.
The Open Day for the Girls-in-ICT Initiative was instituted to provide an opportunity for young girls to pay visit to ICT-based institutions and companies to interact with female achievers in the ICT industry.
It is a day set aside to encourage girls to study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses which are critical to the socio-economic development of the country.
An Economic Empowerment Adviser at the MTN Ghana Foundation, Mrs. Cynthia Mills told journalists on the sidelines of the capacity building programme that in the face of the high use of social media by young people, it is essential tool for teaching and learning.
She said: “The reason for the girls in ICT is to empower the girls and this year’s theme is on “Access and Safety”. There are so many issues in cyberspace in terms of Facebook, WhatsApp, and other platforms.
Girls are going through a lot of challenges and they are not aware of some of the Safety issues or where to report them”.
“So we decided to host this event with Mobile Web Ghana to enlighten the girls and empower them to know what they can do to take care of themselves when on the internet and also use the internet as a means of study because there is so much material that they can get apart from just learning in the classroom.”
The Director of Mobile Web Ghana, Madam Florence Toffa added that the ‘Girls-in-ICT Day’ is important because “while we want to make the internet accessible to young girls, we also want them to be safe online.”
She used the occasion to advise young girls to stay protected online by using things like strong passwords, going through their settings, making sure the privacy settings are well done, and also using a two-factor authentication methodology to ensure they become safer online.
“My advice is that with the internet you can have the good and bad. But we want to encourage them that look, staying safe online depends on you. Don’t give out information, numbers, and personal details to people that you don’t know. It will be very helpful for your development”.
In interacting with the school girls drawn from the Ebenezer Methodist Junior High School (JHS) and the Kwabenya Senior High School (SHS), Superintendent Sophia Eva Anim of the Former Police Unit [FPU]) advised the beneficiaries of the event to always look out for red flags when interacting with people on social media.
According to her, anytime young girls feel threatened, scared, or feel someone has bad intentions about them, they should immediately walk away.
Superintendent Sophia Eva Anim further admonished girls to never advertise their bodies, especially private parts on social media.
“Confidently report what you experience on social media and you don’t like so that you receive help. At this age, your focus should be on your books. Control your lust and stay away from the bad things on social media.
In all, 60 young girls drawn from the Ebenezer Methodist Junior High School (JHS) and the Kwabenya Senior High School (SHS) were taken through cyber security and the importance of staying safe online.
African Eye Report
