Google and the Kenyan Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) have announced a collaboration to improve gender equity, diversity and inclusion within organisations and the workplace.
The collaboration, announced as part of celebrations to mark #IamRemarkable Week 2021 (which runs from September 8 – 15, 2021), will see the expansion of the Grow with Google digital skills programme to reach more women, girls and underrepresented groups in Kenya.
#IamRemarkable is a global Google initiative which aims to empower everyone, particularly women and underrepresented groups, to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond. It was started by two Google employees to challenge the social perception around self-promotion, help participants feel more comfortable with self-promotion and encourage women and underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond.
As part of the collaboration, KEWOPA is to provide coordination in mobilising and supporting its members, their constituents and KEWOPA’s network of women entrepreneurs, students and emerging women leaders to benefit from Google’s training programs, including IamRemarkable and Grow with Google. It will also collaborate with Google to drive the goals of the partnership during key events in the gender equality and equity calendar.
A number of legislators attended the forum which was held in Nairobi, both physically and virtually. They include: Hon Gathoni Wamuchomba, the KEWOPA Chairperson and Women Representative, Kiambu County; Hon Martha Wangari, MP, Gilgil; Hon Prof. Jacquiline Oduol, Chair, Nominated Members Caucus (National Assembly); Hon Esther Passaris, Women Representative, Nairobi County; Hon Soipan Tuya, MP, Narok County; Hon Ruth Mwaniki, MP, Kigumo; Hon Jane Kihara, MP, Naivasha; Hon Petronilla Were, Nominated Senator; Hon Charity Kathambi, MP, Njoro; Hon Rachael Nyamai, MP, Kitui South; and Hon Beatrice Adagala, Women Representative, Vihiga County.
Speaking during forum, convened by Content Development and Intellectual Property Trust (CODE-IP), Ms Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde, the Head of Brand and Reputation for Google sub-Saharan Africa, said the Grow With Google, an online program which offers free training and tools to help people acquire new skills to grow their careers and businesses, the company has strengthened its efforts to support Kenya’s, SMEs, entrepreneurs, software developers and the education sector.
The issue of women and girls in ICT is also crucial because of their under-representation in the technology space and careers. Gakuru cited a study by the Kenya ICT Authority (ICT-A) which found that women and girls were very much underrepresented. He also mentioned his collaboration with the Communications Authority on the subject that started in 2013.
The situation of women and girls in ICT was also emphasized by Michael Murungi, Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Lead for Eastern Africa, in his remarks, citing the Digital Sprinters report commissioned by the IT firm last year.
“In that report, we found that beyond the four key areas of physical capital, human capital, technology, and competitiveness that are key in building the competitiveness of an economy, we found that gender inequality is an economic burden. And if women, who account for half the world’s population, are systematically excluded from economic opportunities, countries such as Kenya and other emerging economies can’t reach their full potential,” said Murungi.
One of the ways to address the issue and to bridge the gender gap that exists in discriminatory labour market outcomes, according to Google, is through digital skills. “This involves giving women and girls meaningful access to the digital workforce. And equity and diversity in skilling for women and girls should not be limited to initial programs that only provide entry level opportunities but should include managerial and soft skills that anyone needs to build a career in the technology arena, one of which is the Grow with Google program,” he stated.