Around 40 people last week gathered at United Nations University Institute in Macau (UNU Macau) to take part in the “Empower Tech Macau in Collaboration with EQUALS-EU: Bridging Women’s Role in Digital Inclusivity" Workshop, organised by the Institute.
The event, which was supported by Girls in Tech (Macao) Association, Youth Association of “The Women’s General Association of Macau”, and Macau Institute of Corporate Social Responsibility in Greater China (MICSRGC), involved a roundtable discussion with guest speakers, as well as a collaborative learning activity, aimed at promoting digital inclusivity in Macau.
After UNU Macau’s director, Dr. Jingbo Huang, welcomed participants with her opening remarks, UNU Macau’s Senior Researcher and Team Lead Dr. Jaimee Stuart introduced the EQUALS-EU project, which comes to an end this year, and highlighted its achievements in contributing to the promotion of gender equality across countries and regions.
Funded by the EU Horizon 2020, and implemented as a part of the EQUALS Global Partnership, EQUALS-EU is a consortium that consists of 19 organizations from a wide variety of sectors in Europe and around the world. UNU Macau, which is a founding partner of the EQUALS Global Partnership, has also been a consortium member of EQUALS-EU since the year it was launched, 2021.
In the workshop held on 24 November 2023, Dr. Jaimee Stuart presented some of the initiatives held by UNU Macau under the EQUALS-EU partnership, including results from the SDG Open Innovation Camp 2023 for the Greater Bay Area, co-organised in May by the Institute and several regional partners.
In the roundtable discussion that followed, leading women from diverse backgrounds in Macau shared their unique insights, challenges, and aspirations in the digital realm. Ms. Camila Mungói, a Master’s Student in Accounting at University of Macau, Ms. Estrela Cheang, Macau SAR Lawyer and Partner of Cheang, Sou & Cheong Law Firm, Ms. Myra Tam, Operation Manager of Chui Heong Pastelaria, Ms. Ruby O, FCIEH MBA, Chairperson of Society of Food & Environmental Health, and Dr. Yang Jing, from the Organizing Committee of the 10th International Affairs’ Training Program of Youth Association of “The Women’s General Association of Macau”, were our inspiring guest speakers.
The last part of the event was dedicated to a workshop facilitated by UNU Macau’s Researcher Dr. Min Yang. In this workshop, around 30 participants were split in four groups and each team collaboratively came up with ideas that could lead to a roadmap for digital inclusivity in Macau.
Dr. Jaimee Stuart considers that “the workshop has marked a significant step towards bridging the gender digital divide in Macau SAR”.
Our innovative approach, blending insightful discussions with creative, hands-on activities, not only engaged participants deeply but also fostered a commitment to practical action. The enthusiasm shown for further developing and utilizing the EQUALS-EU tools and methodologies presented here is a testament to our community's readiness to embrace digital inclusivity.
Dr. Jaimee Stuart believes “this workshop has laid a strong foundation for future initiatives aimed at empowering women in the digital landscape of Macau”.
