Women leaders urged to embrace digital leadership

DAR ES SALAAM: WOMEN leaders have been urged to embrace digital leadership as a prerequisite for accelerating the adoption and usage of digital technology.

The call was made this week in Dar es Salaam by Women Empowerment Activist Ms Marie Kigalu, while officiating the VOTE: Women Pan African Roundtable organised by Pollicy which brought together local government women leaders from Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal.

The women leaders are the beneficiaries of the Vote: Women project, executed by Pollicy with the aim of raising digital resiliency within the group.

Ms Kigalu who is also Chief Executive Officer for Universal Peace Federation emphasised that enhancing women’s digital leadership is crucial in the current era of rapidly evolving digital technology, as it plays a key role in problem-solving, decision-making and management.

“In the current era, digital technologies provide access to finance, mobile banking and help community members avoid long journeys.

They also facilitate e-commerce, making business operations more flexible and enabling individuals to manage home responsibilities while simultaneously engaging in global business opportunities through digital communication,” she said.

She added that after the meeting the participants will be equipped to identify and address key challenges in digital leadership, empowering them to close the digital literacy gap in their workplaces as leaders.

“They will also be equipped to address key challenges in digital leadership, such as raising awareness and providing social support for women, the lack of digital infrastructure and overcoming social stereotypes,” Ms Kigalu said.

For her part, Rachel Magege who works in projects and programming at Pollicy urged women leaders to embrace technology and stay current with the times.

ALSO READ: Women urged to participate in Local government election

She emphasised that women should explore creative ways to use technology to advance their political careers.

“In today’s era, it is crucial for women leaders to be proficient in using online platforms for meetings, showcasing their work and leveraging artificial intelligence…women should embrace technology by dedicating time to learn and integrate these skills into their daily political work,” she emphasised.

She detailed that the Vote: Women Project began in 2021 in response to online harassment research conducted in Uganda during the 2021 elections.

The data collected revealed specific online harassment targeting women campaigning and vying for political positions.

She explained that the project began with Cohort I, which included women leaders from Uganda and Tanzania. “The success of this cohort led to the creation of Cohort II, involving participants from Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal.”

“This project aims to enhance digital resilience among women leaders, both during election periods and in their daily political activities as many women might be quick to give up when faced with harassment or unfamiliar technology,” Ms Magege said.

She noted that the training was delivered through modules developed by the organisation, covering topics on digital safety, effective communication, online campaigns, content creation and  Knowing different audiences.

The two-day gathering marked the official conclusion of the Vote: Women Project and Cohort II training program.

Pollicy is a civic tech organisation headquartered in Kampala, Uganda. It advocates for digital rights and develops various data products, among other initiatives.