The gender digital divide leaves millions of people, especially poor women and girls, stranded from the promise of digital transformation and reported that over 52 million women in Africa are still blank in technology. It is in this line that gender advocates who are deliberating on this at the ongoing 2024 Africa Women’s Conference in Lusaka, Zambia staunchly emphasize that this is undoubtedly a pathway to meeting global targets for inclusivity in economic development and equal opportunity.
The Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS) spearheaded by African Women recognizes the increasing role of digital technologies in fulfilling women’s and girl’s rights, as digital technology impacts both women’s safety and empowerment. Over 52 million women in Africa are still blank in technology and According to these women, not enough attention has been given to how women use technological tools to support peacebuilding efforts to promote meaningful engagement, and to gain access to decision makers. It is a world virtually driven by technology and how can an African woman be neck-deep in this Digital transformation agenda? a question which was tabled during the 2024 Africa Women’s conference in Lusaka Zambia.
Women-led organizations have used digital technologies to advance women’s empowerment, health, and safety. Online platforms provide women access to educational services, and women use social media to disseminate information on local political developments.The economic effects of digital technologies have reached over 50% of the developing world’s population in the last few decades. However, many women, especially those from poor communities, indigenous and ethnic minorities, remain disconnected from an increasingly interconnected world.
The 2018 Gender Responsive UN Peacekeeping Operations Policy has sought to mainstream gender in UN operations.However, there is still a need to develop more systematic strategies that combine gender mainstreaming and digital inclusion into peacebuilding efforts.
