Post Status:
Main Project Location: Kampala
Project country/countries: Uganda
Project dates:  –
Last updated: 23 March 2022

Brief overview of the Case Study   

Digital Woman Uganda is a civic tech and Digital Rights Advocacy organisation operating an ICT powered model to extend digital literacy and skills to a woman or girl child. Women are still on a larger gap than men to own a mobile phone, and even more less likely to use the internet on a mobile. It is critical that the mobile gender gap is understood and overcome, as digital literacy provides life-changing benefits to women, their families, communities, and the economy.

The challenge or problem

Internet access and use remain unequal in Uganda. Until we get all connected and enjoy the full benefits that it offers, the Internet as a magnifier for equality will remain a myth... And so many reasons come into play when it comes to the gender divide here.

The solution that was implemented

We decided to do literacy training, advocacy about digital rights etc. to help a rural woman especially get in this online space as the men and own their own digital space contributing to socio economic development in their communities.

Tools deployed here especially when Covid-19 happened and we couldn't move was a short code, a visual online radio (www.t-radio.live) and with possible funding we planning on launching a cloud telephony call centre to churn out our Digital content in local languages understood by the rural women as most don't know English. We also deploy or employ a network of village agents who help us in this training when we are not there, these we equip with smartphones to educate these women in their languages.

What results were achieved?

We were able to help prepare different actors in the digital innovation space who have solutions out there, but their clients are not digitally ready enough to consume these services .... because everything was online, and few could or knew how to navigate the internet.

Lessons and recommendations

The gender digital divide is still wide, we need to close it by ramping up this advocacy and training with different players and funders.

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