‘Digital empowerment key for advancing women’s growth’

DAR ES SALAAM: DIGITAL empowerment has been cited as a critical tool for fostering women’s growth and development.

This was said in Dar Salaam this week by GS1 Tanzania Chief Executive Officer, Ms Fatma Kange at the official closing of the VOTE: Women Pan African Roundtable organised by Pollicy, which brought together local government women leaders from Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal.

She said in today’s rapidly evolving world, digital empowerment has emerged as a critical tool for fostering women’s growth and development, noting that besides industrial and entrepreneurship trainings given to women; digital literacy is becoming increasingly essential for women to fully realise their potential.

“Digital empowerment should be one of the important tools to be advocated, introduced and communicated to help women better understand how digital transformation can shape their futures and enable them to achieve their goals,” she noted.

Ms Kange further said that digital empowerment is crucial for women taking into consideration that political participation for many women has remained a significant challenge due to intense competition and limited financial resources.

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She said having been left behind for so many years, women must now seize opportunities to gain the knowledge necessary to overcome the challenges. “Digital transformation, therefore, offers a pathway for women to come together, gain influence and shape the future they desire.”

She said in order to drive transformation, women must harness the power of digital technology.
Ms Kange further said that some literature suggests that the Southern Sahara region is about 20 years behind in digital knowledge.

“This highlights the urgent need for us to work hard to bridge this gap. I commend the Pollicy for this engagement aimed at addressing this challenge,” she said.
She further said that the training participants have undergone—covering topics such as online security, digital campaigning, protective writing and creative writings which she said are crucial tools for empowering women.

Anna Lukindo, a beneficiary of the training and Mbezi Juu Ward Councilor, expressed her gratitude to Pollicy for organising such informative sessions, which have enhanced her efficiency in using social media.

She said that the training has strengthened her ability to handle online abuse and taught her how to respond constructively to improve her political career.

“I have learned how to craft captions that generate feedback… this training has been incredibly useful in my day-to-day activities,” she said.

Maclean Batware, Division Chairperson from Southwestern Uganda, Kabale Municipality, thanked Pollicy for organising the training, which provided an opportunity to connect with women from different countries who share similar challenges. She advised women to be cautious when sharing content online to ensure their safety and well-being.

Lydia Nakato from Uganda Women’s Network expressed that the training has empowered her to use her social media accounts more effectively to showcase her achievements and profile. She emphasised that it’s a valuable way to market herself and highlight her work and future plans.