AfricaPress-Tanzania: STANBIC Bank has partnered with Vijana Think-Tank to commemorate International Day of Women and Girls in Science and donated 10m/-.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science celebration is organised by Vijana Think-Tank and held every February 11.
A statement issued by the lender said the support aimed at recognising the vital role women and girls play in science and technology by promoting further female participation and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses.
Stanbic Head of Private and Business Banking, Omari Mtiga, said that to advance as a country and achieve the industrialization agenda, enrolment of women and girls in STEM subjects should be scaled-up.
“This partnership forms one of the many social campaigns we continue to be part of to assure the youth that through hard work, ambition, and continuous self-improvement, they can achieve their dreams,” Mr Mtiga said.
Mtiga further noted that economic growth depends upon the full utilization of the human capital available.
“To succeed in having gender equality in this field, all sectors must create more partnerships to empower women, girls, and all youth to encourage their participation and interest in science,” he said.
William Mshery from Vijana Think Tank said that they believe this partnership with Stanbic will unleash the full potential of science, technology, and innovation as a driver of Tanzania’s growth and development.
“We are grateful for the bank’s contribution and commend their continued efforts to empower young women and men in Tanzania,” he said.
The science, technology, and innovation have been recognized as key drivers of global development and industrialization not just in Tanzania, but in many emerging economies in the world today.
The Stanbic partnership is informed by the meagre enrolment numbers by girls into STEM courses across universities and colleges.
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) data indicate that women in the country represent around 40 per cent of university enrolment but only about 24 per cent are enrolled in science, engineering, and technology fields.
This gap continues to place women at risk of losing out on today’s and tomorrow’s best job opportunities as the world continues to move towards full digitisation and technology innovation.
Since the formation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) governments, organisations, and individuals have been challenged to take significant steps in creating a more inclusive society through equitable development.
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution and declared February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
The day was declared in order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
