Session
Organizer 1: Moses Owiny, Centre for Multilateral Affairs
Organizer 2: Peace Oliver Amuge, Women of Uganda Network( WOUGNET)
Organizer 3: Liz Orembo, Global Cybersecurity Capacity Centre
Organizer 4: Sandra Aceng, Women of Uganda Network
Organizer 5: Vivian Affoah, Media Foundation for West Africa
Organizer 6: Nazarius Kirama, Internet Society Tanzania Chapter
Speaker 1: Sandra Aceng, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Vivian Affoah, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: Nazarius Kirama, Technical Community, African Group
Moses Owiny, Civil Society, African Group
Peace Oliver Amuge, Civil Society, African Group
Liz Orembo, Civil Society, African Group
Panel - Auditorium - 60 Min
1. Beyond internet access, to what extent has meaningful connectivity transformed the lives of women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa?
2. What policy constraints and actions are required/have been adopted to close the gender digital divide?
3. What are the appropriate policy and multi-stakeholder contributions necessary to advance women’s digital empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa?
Connection with previous Messages:
5.b
Targets: SDGs 9c emphasize increased access to affordable access to ICT and the internet and 5b emphasizes fairer representation of women and advancement of equality laws which directly aligns with our proposed panel discussion on the gender-sensitive approaches to closing the gender digital divide in sub-Saharan Africa.
Description:
The session proposal is hinged on the general postulate that access to information and communications technologies (ICTs) has become central to social, political, economic, and cultural life including the country’s development. But, more than twenty years after the birth of the Internet, two-thirds of the planet’s population still do not have regular access to the Internet, and a greater proportion of these unconnected global citizens are women. The internet remains a fundamental catalyst and pre-condition for growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa with large-scale potential benefits to the women as it provides life-changing opportunities such as access to health, financial services, employment opportunities and meaningfully participates and influences the governance and decision-making processes of their country. Digital inequality continues to deepen for most women and girls (GSMA, 2018). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on women and technology provide a historic opportunity for Africa to close the digital gender divide and ensure meaningful access, use, and participation of women in the digital governance, including shaping policy and decision-making processes in the online sphere. The SDGs commit UN member states to achieve universal internet access by 2020 (Goal 9c) and to implement policies to empower women through technology (Goal 5b). This session will advance the transformational potential and outcomes of digital empowerment for women and girls, the policy constraints, and actions that must be undertaken to close the gender digital divide using case studies in Uganda, Tanzania, and Ghana.
1. Improved understanding of the meaningful and transformative potential of digital gender equality.
2. Increased awareness of policy constraints and actions required to close the gender digital divide.
3. A strengthened understanding of multi-stakeholder roles in advancing digital gender equality.
Hybrid Format: We intend to create an interactive presentation with visualization and use google jam board to encourage the participation of everyone and use polls at the beginning and end of the session. We will also strike a balance between talking and listening and spare some time for the online and onsite participants to socialize before the session kick starts.
Usage of IGF Official Tool.