Islamabad (July 19, 2023): Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) held a collaborative workshop on “Mobile Gender Gap Insights in Pakistan,” at PTA Headquarters today. The workshop focused on understanding mobile gender gap and empowering women through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
The workshop was attended by representatives from Ministry of Information Technology & Telecom (MoITT), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education (PAGE), NGOs and mobile operators. Senior female officers from PTA also participated in the workshop.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PTA, Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman emphasized the significance of fostering women’s participation across all facets of life. He particularly highlighted technology-driven areas such as e-commerce, software houses, and freelancing as avenues where women can significantly contribute if provided with ample opportunities in ICTs. He thanked GSMA for their valuable contribution in organizing the workshop.
During her address, Additional Secretary, Ministry of IT & Telecom, Ms. Aisha Humera Chaudhry acknowledged the strides made towards economic empowerment in Pakistan. She stressed the importance of collaborative efforts to effectively reduce the gender gap and highlighted the Government of Pakistan’s ongoing initiatives to enhance technology access across the nation.
The workshop featured informative sessions delivered by GSMA speakers on their recently released Mobile Gender Gap Report 2023. Ms. Kim Viljoen Director Market Engagement, GSMA, presented their finding on gender disaggregated data like internet usage, internet awareness and mobile handset ownership among Pakistani men and women. Ms. Nadia Jeffrie, Insights Manager, GSMA talked about Empowering Women Micro-Entrepreneurs in Pakistan through Mobile. This was followed by an interactive discussion with the participants.
Also present were guest speakers: Ms. Fajer Rabia Pasha, Executive Director of Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education (PAGE), and Ms. Amna Baig, Deputy Director (Immigration) who shared valuable insights on the transformative role of ICTs in women’s lives and the safety and security challenges they face.
