Delving into data for women’s and girls’ safety

Mosebolatan Oyedeji is one of the faces of the Essex Futures campaign. Her story represents our commitment to why we are investing in the generation who will go on to shape our future.

Originally from Ghana, Mosebolatan studied Law as an undergraduate, and then went on to work with the municipal police as a lawyer. It was during the covid-19 pandemic that she saw an astronomical rise in domestic violence cases – both against women and young girls.

She wanted to do more than protect these women and girls after they were already subject to violence; she wanted to be part of the prevention efforts. And Essex is helping her on her way to doing that.

Mosebolatan is now studying for an MSc Applied Data Science, one of our conversion courses. Our conversion courses are designed to help those who have previously studied for a non-scientific degree, in the humanities or social sciences, and provide students with the key skills needed to flourish in a career in data or artificial intelligence.

“I received the Postgraduate Conversion Course in AI and Data Science Scholarship. The scholarship gave me the opportunity to pursue my interest, made my academic year seamless, and my financial burdens were significantly eased.

“As an advocate and defender of women’s and girls’ safety and rights, my goal is to fully understand the nature and magnitude of the violence, and to seek information and guidance on how statistically sound data can be collected and used to support services within the relevant response sector(s), such as health or legal systems.

“Perpetrator data and information on the times and locations of incidents of violence can inform prevention efforts and enable more specific advocacy for policy change. Tracking data over time and monitoring trends can also be used to support those designing and implementing programmes to evaluate the impact of their programmes more effectively.

“Among other uses, that data can then inform agencies’ requests for additional funding. Proper use of the data on violence against women and girls can also empower survivors. By effectively presenting the issue as a national, sub regional, or even global preoccupation, women and girls will understand that they are not alone.”

It's hard not to feel inspired by what our students want to achieve, and the difference they want to make.

We’re so proud that our scholarships are offering opportunities to those whose impact on the world might otherwise be missed, and we couldn’t do it without the support of donors.  

Learn more about similar postgraduate conversion courses and our exciting scholarships appeal, Essex Futures.