AYV News October 30, 2024
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Seraphine Wakana, has handed over 100 scholarships to Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh for young Sierra Leoneans to study course in Tourism Industry in Management and International Tourism and Travelling Law.
The move according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, is line with Knowledge Network Talent Development Platform to support young talents in the tourism sector through internships, knowledge transfer and research, and TedQual´s objectives to increase student’s mobility worldwide, the Knowledge Network issued in June a call for applications for graduate level scholarships sponsored by the City University of Macau.
Seraphine Wakana said women comprise 54% of the global tourism workforce and 70% in Africa. However, they are often relegated to lower-skilled, underpaid positions. She said the UN Women reports that women undertake 2.5 times more unpaid household and care work than men, which limits their financial independence and opportunities for advancement. Only 25% of decision-making roles in the tourism industry are held by women, with the gender gap increasing at higher levels of leadership. The barriers women face include limited access to finance, markets, technology, education, and training, as well as discriminatory laws and societal norms.
Technological innovation will be emphasised, with women being encouraged to adopt digital tools and gain expertise in areas like digital marketing and data analytics.
