The “Government E-Capability Enhancement Project” jointly implemented by the TaiwanICDF and Somaliland officially opened the Somaliland Innovation Zone (SIZ). Dr Abdiweli Soufi, Minister of the Ministry of Telecommunication and Technology of the Republic of Somaliland (MICT) praised the SIZ as a major milestone in ICT cooperation between the two countries. It is also the first national ICT education and training institution established by Somaliland. For young students or citizens who intend to engage in ICT-related work or entrepreneurship, SIZ would spare no effort to cultivate the necessary latest science and technology.
Continuing the initiative of the Women in Tech Forum, the Taiwan Technical Mission in Somaliland (TTM) started a five-week science and technology training course for women. This course provides computer skills training for a total of 32 female employees from government departments and private enterprises in Somaliland, to improve work efficiency in the workplace. The primary goal of this course is to empower women with the ability to use digital tools in this digital age, which will help to increase job opportunities, work efficiency, and equality in employment for both genders.
This course is specially designed for female students, providing an introduction to science and technology training, including word processor, presentation software, graphics rendering, digital photo editing, audio-visual and graphic advertisement production, and the use of social platforms to upload multimedia, which can help market goods or publicize government policies. This training is expected to let students understand the convenience of technology for work and life and attract more women to learn digital technology.
– Sahardiid, Director of ICT Division MICT
After this introductory course, one of the participants was able to use word processing software skillfully. A woman who is starting a business said that she is launching through social media. By participating in this course, she designed two sets of trademarks and business cards in one day and the lecturer who has a background in producing pictures and texts shared her entrepreneurial experience, which made her more hopeful about her personal entrepreneurial plan.
In the future, Taiwan and Somaliland will offer more advanced courses on topics such as programming, digital marketing, information security, and other topics, and expand the SIZ into a platform for online teaching, digital medicine and e-commerce. By holding various education, training and promotion activities, SIZ seeks to reduce the digital gap of the people of Somaliland.
Taiwan has also created an environment for female entrepreneurship as the number of female entrepreneurs continues to rise. Increased access to technology, education and disposable income are the main factors that have led women to lead more independent, empowered lives. Taiwan launched a programme that aligns with calls for diversity in technology and opportunities for women to develop entrepreneurial and leadership expertise by supporting female technology entrepreneurship worldwide.
According to an article, the new models of working from home, and greater access to technology and the internet may point to how the gender divide can be bridged. Technological advances are helping level the playing field for young women. More and more young women and men are looking into e-participation and co-creation across sectors to create their own initiatives.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, Taiwan invited successful women leaders in the fields of Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to share their first-hand experiences and encourage more women to participate in scientific research and the technology industries. The female tech leaders shared their perspectives and advocated for the influence that women can bring into STEM to inspire young women to pursue careers in this field.
