Annex 2: Information about practices per region
Information is presented in a structured manner, including type, goals and policy area, activities, governance, resources and impact. Type refers to policies, strategies, programmes and other initiatives (e.g., institutionalized gender-focused inter-ministerial coordination, stakeholder consultation, government-to-industry, etc.). Goals and policy area refers to specific objectives and target stakeholders of the practice, and desired outcome around the five policy areas (digital technology, digital skills, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and leadership, and infrastructure and digital services). Activities refers to events, related initiatives, processes, etc. to offer insights into the operating processes of the practice. Governance refers to the organizational structure, management and institutional frameworks as well as competencies required to perform the practice. Resources refers to elements, such as financial and non-financial resources (including partnerships), including human capital, equipment and processes. Lastly, impact refers to evidence of effectiveness of the practice in achieving results (ideally referring to outcomes based on key performance indicators set by the practice), as well as replicability and scalability of the practice.
Africa
Practice | Type | Policy area | Activities | Governance | Resources | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Mountain Community (Cameroon) | Mentorship, training of youth, partnerships | Access to digital skills, Entrepreneurship and leadership, and Access to infrastructure and digital services | Vertical mentorship, training and practice what has been learned | Centred around the University of Buea and 12 other academic institutions | one-year free high-speed Internet connectivity from the Government through the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications | To make it more impactful, the World Bank recommends strengthening links between Silicon Mountain, Douala, and Yaoundé’s digital entrepreneurship ecosystems by creating digital corridors. “This could be done through incentives for joint applications |
| First coding camp of the African Girls Can Code Initiative (Ethiopia) | Coding camp equipping young girls with digital literacy, coding, and personal development skills | Access to digital skills | Coding camps organized at the national, regional and continental level. Seeks to facilitate mainstreaming gender and coding in national curricula. | Implemented by UN Women Ethiopia in collaboration with the African Union, International Telecommunication Union with the support of the government of Denmark in its first year. | National media campaigns involving women role models to address discriminatory norms. An online platform for girls attending Coding Camps, where learners can stay connected, share experiences and learning, and mobilize a community of practice and inspiration. | Some girls and young women also launched initiatives to prevent and respond to rising cases of gender-based violence, financial challenges and learning loss in their local communities. |
| The Virtual University of Senegal (Senegal) | Combines e-learning with presence-based tutorials and networking. Laptops with mobile Internet connection provided by the university | Access to digital technology and Access to digital skills | Public university governed by the Council of Administration; the Academic Council; and the Coordinator. | N/A | Open Digital Spaces connected to optical fibre, located in all the regional capitals of the country. Students are free to connect to the numerical platform and to take classes from home or everywhere they are, with computer and 3G Internet key that are given at the registration. The Open Digital Spaces support all the educational objectives assigned to the University, helping to settle labour forces in their region and opens communities to the rest of the world. | By 2019 the university counted not less than 28 000 students, making it the second largest university of the country. Digital Spaces offered inspiration at the regional and international level. (e.g. Burkina Faso, Gambia and Niger). |
| Empowering Adolescent Girls and Young Women through Education (Tanzania) | Collaborative, coordinated and multi-sectoral approach to develop digital literacy, skills in online communications and interactions, and understand he ethical use of information technology and online privacy and security. | Access to digital technology and access to digital skills | Youth clubs; guidance and counselling services for in-school adolescent boys and girls; skills training /economic empowerment for out of school young women; and the role of communities including parents in promotion of girls education. The training modules consist of basic literacy, mathematical operations, communicating in English and Swahili, life skills, sexual and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, gender equality, entrepreneurship and financial management skills, environmental and civic and human rights education. | UNESCO leads the implementation, in collaboration with the government of Tanzania, UNFPA and UN Women. | A five-year programme funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) | 112 youth clubs provided platforms for peer-led activities on life skills namely leadership, communication, self-confidence and determination. Through the peer-led activities, students are now empowered to speak out on issues hindering their education. Increased access to literacy and non-formal education for out-of-school adolescent girls and young women through training of out-of-school adolescent girls and young women to acquire literacy, numeracy, and life skills including ICT-based literacy and numeracy using tablets. |
| Community network for rural connectivity and access for women (Zimbabwe) | Community network grows from cybercafé to local hub of knowledge, healthcare, and development. | Access to infrastructure and digital services | Established Vision Internet, a cybercafé housed in an old shipping container. Developed by local residents skilled in welding, art, and paintwork, Vision Internet embodies the spirit of ubuntu*, a shared humanity. Since then, it has grown to serve far more than Murambinda’s few thousand residents affordable access to e-learning material for only a USD 1 per hour for an unlimited connection. The Murambinda School of Nursing and Midwifery benefited from the community network. The government, donated 10 laptops to the connected nurses’ training school | Great external support of various activities came from ISOC, the Zimbabwean Ministry of ICT & Courier Services, POTRAZ, UNICEF, ITU Development Sector and Zimbabwe Community Network Initiatives (ZCNI) – the NGO offering expert knowledge in the building of community networks. | Women involved in the setting up of infrastructure, management, day-to-day administration of servers and installation services at different sites, e.g. in schools. The set up also brought the government to support the community’s education system by donating computers to connected primary and secondary schools as the community network has a school management system which includes e-learning resources that are uploaded from the district education offices. This support also aligned with the vision of the International Girls in ICT day, which seeks to empower, expose and build the girl child into taking up ICT related courses in the future. | Managed to connect about 108 000 people in the Buhera North and West, as informed by ISOC. Breaking down this figure using the POTRAZ survey, showing 35.6 per cent connected households in rural areas, reveals that 3.01 per cent of women in Zimbabwe were connected by this community network. The network has more than 25 nodes and is a mesh topology with a fibre optic based backhaul on the core network |
| ‘Women’s Bank’ to ensure women’s access to money at concessionary rates (Zimbabwe) | Government supporting women’s access to money at concessionary rates. | Financial inclusion | Finance small-scale farmers, meeting the financing requirements of cross- border traders, and savings accounts for registered small businesses and group savings account | Wholly owned by the Government of Zimbabwe, the primary clientele of the bank are women and SMEs. | The bank has opened branches nationwide by relying on the infrastructure of the Zimbabwe Post Office (Zimpost), which has a presence in every corner of the country, including in rural areas. | Opened a total of 38 000 accounts (June to November 2018), with account holders spread throughout the country’s major provinces. As of November 2018, the bank had issued a total of 490 loans valued at a cumulative USD 1 million. |
Sources:
https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regional-Presence/Africa/Documents/NVper
https://www.ungei.org/blog-post/closing-gender-gap-ict
https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/file/107721/download?token=Om66I_tc
https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/stocktaking/Prizes/2022/DetailsPopup/15440221109405907
https://www.internetsociety.org/issues/community-networks/success-stories/murambinda/
https://www.afi-global.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/AFI_BTG_Zim_CS19_AW_digital.pdf
Americas
Practice | Type | Policy area | Activities | Governance | Resources | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center for Genders in Technology (Argentina) | A public-private initiative of the national government working together with companies in the ICT sector | Access to digital technology and Access to digital skills | Qualification of the gaps; Needs detection; Establishment of cooperation agreements; Coordination of courses, programmes and workshops; Preparation of promoters or mentors; Scholarships; Promotion of internships. | Coordination is carried out through coordination meetings, in which the Secretariat for Public Innovation of the Headquarters of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Nation, the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity, the company ARSAT, the G+T Center, together with representatives of other public bodies, civil society and the companies that make up the initiative, develop the strategies, objectives and action plans, incorporate new initiatives, as appropriate, to promote the training of a greater number of women and dissidents at the national level , in order to achieve their insertion in the world of work, and achieve equal opportunities for all. The G+T Center works within the scope of the Ministry of Public Innovation and from there the budgetary resources it manages are assigned. | As for the companies in the ICT sector that are part of the initiative, they allocate their own budgets for the execution of the training they offer, although on some occasions they can use public resources such as Digital Points. In the case of scholarships and certifications that are awarded, these are financed by the participating companies. | Although the initiative is national, it begins to expand to the provinces. It can also be promoted to other countries in the region, so that more girls, women and dissidents can receive the training and thus jointly achieve the closing of the gender gap in Latin America. By the end of 2021, the Center has reached and inspired more than 2,000 women and teens to pursue STEM careers. More than 800 young people and teachers were trained in technology; More than 1,700 women and people from the LGTBQ+ group of different ages participated in online talks and workshops, and more than 200 certifications were awarded on different technological topics. Five cooperation agreements were signed, more than 20 initiatives were worked on and more than 100 coordination meetings were held. |
| Digital@rs Girls Programme (Argentina) | Discover the transformative potential of technology and connect with the world of programming, through free courses Offered by the company Telecom Argentina, working in partnership with municipalities and other institutions such as business chambers. | Access to digital skills and Entrepreneurship and leadership | Collaborative work between the Telecom company and the country's municipalities, with the intention of providing training in different programming languages to adolescents from the provinces who are selected to participate. | Free programme offered by the company Telecom Argentina, is the same company that provides the budget for its execution. Due to the necessary coordination that is carried out with the municipalities, it uses the human capital of the municipality for the logistical work of locating the adolescents interested in the program. | In 2021, eight workshops of two initial and advanced levels were held. More than 270 girls from all over the country participated in twelve classes and were able to obtain the skills that allowed them to enter the world of programming and increased their digital skills. They also learned to make their own web pages with HTML. The programme has had the expected results in the municipalities where it is offered, with the participation of a large number of adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 actively participating. The company Telecom Argentina continues with the programme in 2022. | |
| Girls in ICT Day and Caribbean girls ‘hacking’ for a safer future (Barbados) | Hackathon day for girls and young women | Access to digital skills | Caribbean girls ‘hacking’ for a safer future: In April of 2018 over 800 girls with a target group of 15- to 22-year-olds, across five Caribbean countries: Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, came together for an immersive experience in technology in celebration of the ITU Girls in ICT Day. Following the ground-breaking first Girls in ICT Day Caribbean Hackathon in 2017, woman-led SheLeadsIT and Change Makers Development Ltd staged the 2nd edition under the theme #SafeGirlsSafeFuture. | N/A | Many local businesses came on-board as they did recognize the need for a technologically savvy, gender balanced workforce. The event was supported by many private and public sector entities. Local partners iCreate and GeoTech Vision joined in to cover a range of topics including, fundamentals of filmmaking, design thinking, web and mobile app development, geo-spatial (drone) technology, podcasting, gaming and animation. Google as an international entity was one such company who facilitated as a regional technical partner by providing a number of training webinars and mentorship support | The hackathon provided secondary school and tertiary level students with an interactive and hands- on experience in the use of digital skills to solve social challenges. Over 60 students came together at the UWI Cave Hill School of Business to compete for prizes. |
| SAGA UNESCO and STEM and gender advancement (Chile) | Institutionalized gender-focused inter-ministerial coordination, where the following ministries participate; education, science, and women and gender equity who has the technical secretariat. | Access to digital skills | Technical transfer workshop for public institutions in Chile. Request them to report of indicators and policies that they develop in relation to the STEM areas. Preparation of matrix consolidation. Formation of the SAGA-UNESCO Chile Technical Commission; Elaboration of diagnostic report; "Diagnosis on indicators and policies with a gender perspective developed by the State of Chile in STEM areas”. Dissemination of the Diagnostic Report Technical meetings with the teams that implemented SAGA Argentina and SAGA Uruguay. | Permanent collaboration in the Technical Committee of these institutions: Ministry of Women and Gender Equity (technical and executive secretariat); Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (technical analysis report and recommendations for the preparation of new and better indicators and policies); Ministry of Education (design, application and analysis of a survey on science, technology and innovation) and UNESCO Chile (transfer international experience in application of the SAGA-UNESCO pilot to the technical committee). | Human capital of three public institutions that make up the SAGA UNESCO CHILE Technical Committee. Financial resources for the edition of the "Diagnosis on indicators and policies with a gender perspective developed by the State of Chile in STEM areas", prepared by the Inter-ministerial Technical Commission. | SAGA UNESCO CHILE starting in 2022 and projecting to 2025; Continuity of the Technical Commission 2022 with the aim of developing an Action Plan projected to 2025; Intersectoral work and dissemination workshops for the SAGA Project in Chile (public and private institutions) envisaged; Projected the design of the prototype platform "COLLABORATIVE MENTORING IN STEM with a gender perspective"; Update directory of civil society organizations with STEM work; Internal network of public services in STEM. |
| Transmission of mammograms through 5G technology (Chile) | Gender perspective was included in this pilot project, since as a result of the COVID pandemic, many women could not have their annual mammograms, which implies a risk in early detection. | Access to infrastructure and digital services | In November 2021, the first mammography over the 5G network in Latin America was carried out in the commune of Maipú, in the Metropolitan Region. | The main leader of this initiative was the AllM company, which had the Join platform for sending the exams, and the Telefónica company, which had 5G connectivity. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and the Undersecretary of Telecommunications acted as support in the coordination of the pilot, facilitating the different processes of the service involved in the pilot (for example, MINSAL configuring its RISPACS, SUBTEL granting the experimental permit, among others). | There is a will to continue developing this type of pilots in other regions of the country, but it is necessary to have human and financial resources that must be provided by the Ministry of Health, which will have to be analysed once the new governmental and sectoral authorities of the country take over. the month of March 2022. | The pilot could be replicated in the different Family Health Centers (CESFAM) in the country, as long as they have 5G coverage in their location. In practice, they should have a 5G antenna in their facilities and the Join platform connected from the mammograph to the MINSAL Digital Hospital. It should be noted that this would require a public and/or private investment to have this service permanently. Goal: By 2024, it is projected to have 100per cent of the localities with 5G Contest connectivity projects, of the total of 366 committed, and 100 per cent of communes with 5G Contest connectivity projects, of the total of 245 committed. |
| National Girls in ICT Day (Guatemala) | It is part of state policy as it is included by the Ministry of Education within the curriculum of current studies in the country. | Access to digital skills | Identification of key actors; Visit to educational centres; Virtual and face-to-face conferences and forums; Computer capsules in government channels; Involvement in gender activities promoted by other sectors; Application of good gender practices within the Telecommunications Superintendence (SIT). Convened by the Ministry of Education and the National Youth Council, Entrepreneurs for Education and the Association of Private Schools from Guatemala, to connect to the virtual event that was prepared especially for girls and young women. Said activity was transmitted using the SIT website as the access portal. | Due to the legal framework of each institution, the Superintendence makes approaches to state and private institutions, reporting on this activity. Being a link so that the initiative promoted by the International Telecommunications Union. From 2014 to 2021, there has been a high participation and for this year it is expected that this activity will remain within the functions carried out by the entity that is responsible for the development of science and technology in the country. | Within the SIT budget, resources are reserved to carry out face-to-face activity and that of 2019 and 2020 were virtual due to the pandemic. Personnel are also designated to carry out the visits and participate in the communication forums and messages. | The Ministry of Education has already issued a decree where the commemoration of the International Day of Girls in ICT (Technology, Information and Communication) is included in the annual calendar of all students in Guatemala. The Ministry of Education assumed responsibility for the commemoration and in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Ministerial Agreements they have included the day as such. |
| Practices stimulating girls’ scientific curiosity, popularising science and promoting STEAM (Guatemala) | Programme and project geared towards the stimulation of scientific curiosity among girls and the promotion of STEAM among girls. The programme aims to promote the scientific, technological and humanistic vocation of girls, boys and adolescents in 6th grade and basic between 11 and 17 years of age, through talks and specialized workshops, which allow the integration of a community interested in learning science, the recognition of actions that have led women to achieve prominent positions in the scientific area and decision-making. The project aims at ensuring that there is gender equity in the student groups of the beneficiary schools. | Access to digital technology and Access to digital skills | Celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science; Conversation "I can be a scientist" to promote scientific and technological vocation of children and adolescents (put in place out by the The National Secretariat of Science and Technology (SENACYT) in coordination with the Ministry of Education, consists of a researcher or a scientist presenting to us her area of training, challenges she has had, how she has overcome them and especially what actions she carries out, associated with her professional and research activities, with the intention of learn to overcome challenges and recognize through life experiences, ways to achieve goals in professional and personal performance). | The Ministry of Education coordinated with the National Secretariat of Science and Technology -Senacyt-, the development of the event, as well as the implementation of the Scientific dissemination Program " I can be a scientist”, which will take place every Friday from February 18 to April 22, 2022. In the project Promotion of gender equality on steam: stimulate scientific curiosity in girls and young people, the Ministry of Education through professionals from the Gender Equity Unit with Cultural Relevance and Comprehensive Protection of Children, Adolescents and Youth is a focal point for its development because it is a regional initiative within the framework of the Central American Educational and Cultural Coordination (CECC) of the Central American Integration System (SICA). This Unit will monitor and support the implementation of the project's actions in the beneficiary educational centres, in coordination with the corresponding Departmental Directorates of Education. | N/A | The project promoting gender equality in STEAM will benefit students from three educational centers, who must develop, with the support of their directors and teachers, a research project, with the use of 30 tablets and 300 foldscopes, donated by the Instituto Ítalo-Latino Americano, through the coordination of the project in charge of CECC-SICA. |
| ICT Access Centres Initiatives (Trinidad and Tobago) | ICT Access Centres Initiative - There are currently six operational community-based ICT access centres in Trinidad and Tobago located in Carenage, Chaguanas, Cumana, Guayaguayare, Marac and Penal. Location of the centres was determined through the 2013 digital divide survey conducted by the Telecommunication Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) which identified underserved communities throughout the country. The centres provide the equipment needed for connectivity and Internet access via a cyber-café; training room, and WiFi patio with the latter supporting the bring your own device (BYOD) concept. Consequently, users are provided with or can access information on government services, training and opportunities for entrepreneurship and income enhancement/ generation within the community. | Access to digital technology, access to digital skills, and access to infrastructure and digital services | All the programmes are designed to be inclusive allowing access and usage without discrimination. The Access Centres Team is currently supporting community use of existing online training platforms and assessing how programmes can be altered to support local content and meet the needs of the constituent users of the Centres. Areas for potential partnerships with Ministry of Education have been identified including courses which provide parents with the tools to monitor their children while online. Provides support services for the creation of professional portfolios for community members including women seeking to establish small businesses and pursue entrepreneurial activities. The staff complement of the ICT access centres is diverse with women playing instrumental roles in the management and coordination of the centres’ activities, delivery of training and the provision of network support. The facilities aim to be gender neutral, providing amenities that are required by girls and women such as changing tables for babies, sanitary so that they are at ease when visiting and participating in activities offered by the Centres. | The Ministry of Digital Transformation (MDT) is responsible for the implementation, funding and strategic oversight of the ICT access centres. The establishment and operation of the centres have been executed in close collaboration with the Ministry with responsibility for Community Development to ensure appropriate alignment with plans for community development and wellbeing. The Ministry’s National ICT Division serves as the Manager of the Centres and has responsibility for the personnel which man each centre. The staffing structure of the centres is relatively flat comprising Network Technicians, ICT Trainers, Customer Service Representatives and custodial personnel. The centres’ staff are residents of the communities in which the centres are located or live in adjacent communities. | The establishment of the ICT access centres is funded, in part, by the Universal Service Fund, which is managed by the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP) through which funding is allocated to government ministries and Agencies for the development of and implementation of key national projects and programmes. As with the PSIP, the operational costs of the centres are met through recurrent budget allocations to the Ministry of Digital Transformation. In addition to the financing mechanisms, partnerships are pursued including with the National Library and Information Systems Authority (NALIS) which hosts library services at the sites and with the Adult Literacy Tutor’s Association (ALTA) to facilitate adult literacy training at the centres. The NICT Division has sought to identify those government agencies that are facilitating virtual training so that they can be supported and provided via the access centres. In this regard, the Cumana centre has examined the possibility of supporting the virtual training being offered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. | Since mainstreaming gender into digital policy is at a nascent stage, it is difficult to assess the performance of the ICT access centres in this context. Nonetheless, noting that at the global level, Internet use is moving closer to the gender parity, the following details the anticipated achievements of the Centres: The ICT literacy rate and the country’s ICT Development Index (IDI) will be increased with an anticipated 35 per cent increase in the sub value index of the IDI, in alignment with Strategic Thrust 5 of the National ICT Blueprint 2018-2022 which aims to increase ICT usage in education and enhance citizen’s trust in and capability to use ICT. A key performance indicator for Strategic Thrust 6 is an increase in the IDI with an anticipated 45 per cent increase in the sub value index. The ICT access centres can contribute to the government’s goal of doubling the contribution of the ICT sector to GDP from 4 per cent to 8 per cent. |
Arab States
Practice | Type | Policy area | Activities | Governance | Resources | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qodwa Tech initiative for women empowerment (Egypt) | Tech initiative for women empowerment in Egypt seeks to bridge the digital gender divide, empowering women economically and socially to lead change in the society. The initiative aims at building the capacities of women in employment and entrepreneurship to efficiently compete in the local and global markets. The initiative is commensurate with the Egyptian National Strategies (Egypt vision 2030: National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women). Additionally, the initiative is in line with MCIT’s human development strategy that places special consideration to the development of disadvantaged groups including women and persons with disabilities | Access to digital skills and Entrepreneurship and leadership | Design and develop an online portal that contributes to the exchange of knowledge among them. Develop four training packages in Basic IT, Internet, digital marketing, and e-commerce. Cooperation with local NGOs, hold physical and online awareness sessions to the craftswomen communities. Build the capacities of craftswomen and girls through specialized training tracks and mentorship sessions. Training organized in partnership with a number of leading companies in the field of e-commerce (e.g. Mova Trading, Pogo company, Zvendo Company, Alexandria Businessmen Association, Paytabs Company). Consultation sessions to support and guide women entrepreneurs in the field of digital marketing. Host a monthly business talks session led by the market experts in needed advanced topics. Organize awareness seminars in Egyptian governorates. Organized a hackathon “Qodwa-Tech Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hackathon: Reviving Culture and Heritage” as part of the fifth edition of “She Can 2020” women entrepreneurship annual event. | A project manager, an M&E manager, and a set of project coordinators are part of the governance of the project. The project manager has to coordinate the timely implementation of project activities; maintain and facilitate the partnerships with national and international project parties; manage day-to-day operations; prepare and update the track work plan; develop action plans and progress reports for the National Project Director; and represent and report on the project objectives and achievements to the National Project Director. The M&E manager is in charge of developing data collection tools; monitoring project activities, outputs and progress towards planned outcome; and disseminating evaluation findings and project results to donors and other stakeholders. Project coordinators coordinate with project partners to ensure effective delivery of e-commerce and digital marketing training; Analyse project requirements and preparing budgets and schedules; research digital marketing latest trends; organize consultation sessions with stakeholders; and are responsible for internal communication around work plans and scheduling. | Budgetary items: training materials (consultancy firms); training venue (in case of physical sessions); events; and project staff. Non-financial resources are generated mainly through the wide network of partnerships including the government, civil society and the private sector. Government partnerships: it includes the Ministry of social solidarity (MoSS), Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Council of Women, Micro, Small, Medium Enterprise Development Association (MEMSEDA). The government partners participated in the needs assessment of the project and the outreach for women beneficiaries through their networks and social media. In addition to the participation in the awareness campaigns. Egypt post: consultation sessions in many topics like photography, pricing, and packaging. Specialized companies in e-commerce such as Amazon, Jumia, and bogo plus. Rotary club: training sessions in financial inclusion, intellectual property, entrepreneurshi. | The institutional development of 15 partner NGOs reached 170 000 beneficiaries outside the initiative scope. Thus, ensuring the sustainability of the project outcomes over the long run. More specifically, the project achieved the following results: Building the capacities of around 6500 craftswomen and girls to manage their entrepreneurship projects; Development of the initiative website www.qodwatech.com with around 200 contributions (articles, photos, videos, links) and 140 000 visitors; Raising the awareness of 2 000 beneficiaries in important topics such as financial inclusion, e-commerce, and exporting tricks; Empowerment of women with disabilities through skills development to establish entrepreneurship projects. |
| Mahara-Tech online tech platform (Egypt) | Developed in effort to mainstream of accessing to digital skills based on its mandate to bridge the skills gaps in Egypt, particularly among the majority of Arabic speakers who do not master other languages; enhancing job opportunities and encouraging the adoption of new technologies towards the fulfilment of Egypt vision 2030 and the SDGs. Indeed, according to the World Economic Forum, forming the right talent remains among the leading barriers to the adoption of new technologies. | Access to digital skills and Entrepreneurship and leadership | Mahara-Tech offers a variety of high quality training programmes in Arabic, in different technology domains, including the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cyber security, e-learning, freelancing, mobile app development and other specializations, helping upskill and qualify young people to compete in the labour market. Mentors (17 female mentors and 23 male mentors) are sensitive to male and female needs and constrains in their Arabic talks / discourses in order to sensitize beneficiaries to opportunities in skills building and employment. The free-lancing platform within Mahara-Tech avails physical free-lancing zones to allow for the exchange of expertise among freelancers (particularly women in Upper Egypt) within Universities and ITI’s branches. These zones offer women in conservative environments the chance to interact and hone their skills with counterparts in safe environments. The technical courses are both self- paced and mentoring is done in live sessions and recorded sessions to accommodate the different needs related to daily time-management suitable to men and women, hence, encouraging women’s involvement in their natural environment. Women and men get the chance to interact with mentors through open Q&As. This is particularly important for women view their restrictive mobility in specific parts of Egypt or in other Arab States region countries. | Two main teams (technical and management): Technical Team (In – House production Team), linking the ICT vision with the academic context, and in turn communicates technical ideas and information in clear and concise recorded sessions; working with “the instructional designers” parallel with internal and external instructors and experts to convert academic course material into digestible online learning material; scoping new tools and technologies which may enhance the functionality, accessibility and usability of the online learning platform; and focusing on development, instructional design and testing teams. And the Management and Communication Team, responsible for developing, testing, and implementing a branding strategy to reach and engage target learners and networking through digital channels like web, mobile, and social media; responsible for raising awareness of different universities to promote and availing content to the undergraduates; responsible for building communication channels with key experts and mentors who enrich the content; and divided into social media, Universities’ links and mentors linkage team. | N/A | Total number of students (Before the pandemic 10 000 – Currently 242 000). Average number of students per course (Before the pandemic three courses – Currently 38 courses). Career Talks (Before the pandemic 2 talks – currently 28 talks). Freelancing courses (Before the pandemic 0 course – Currently 6 courses). Freelancing students (Before the pandemic no students – Currently 63 350 students). Courses with sign language (Before the pandemic no courses – Currently 2 courses). Career talks freelancing learners (Before the pandemic no students – Currently 63 350 students). Accessibility of the platform through different channels (indicator of digital inclusion): 20 IT clubs across the country (affiliated to the ministry of youth of sports)- MoU concluded- to be fully activated soon; 23 training centres (affiliated to the Ministry of Manpower) across the country- MOU concluded- to be fully activated soon; 94 ITI centres distributed across the country in Egyptian Universities (in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research); 1 000 undergraduates from Al Azhar University. ITI Mahara-Tech Wins ESCWA DAC Award: Mahara-Tech platform of the Information Technology Institute (ITI) has won the ESCWA Digital Arabic Content (DAC) Award for Sustainable Development. The winners were announced during the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD), held from 15 to 17 March 2022. |
| Mainstreaming Gender through National Inter-Sectoral Gender Strategy (State of Palestine) | National strategy with action plan, institutionalized gender units, projects and partnerships. National Inter-Sectoral Gender Strategy by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs as the government entity responsible for translating the government vision regarding gender into practice. | Access to digital technology, access to digital skills, entrepreneurship and leadership, and access to infrastructure and digital services |
Sources:
Asia and the Pacific
Practice | Type | Policy area | Activities | Governance | Resources | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Safety Act 2021 (Australia) | According to the eSafety Commissioner’s website, international research has found that women and girls are subjected to very high levels of online abuse simply because they are women. The Act provides protections for all Australians, including those most at risk of experiencing online abuse, for example children, women and minority groups. During the development of the Act, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications (policy department responsible for administering the legislation) consulted widely with a range of stakeholders directly or indirectly affected by the policy. This included civil society groups in the areas of women’s rights advocacy (Collective Shout), women’s safety (Australian National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety and Women’s Safety NSW) and domestic violence (Domestic Violence Victoria). The eSafety Commissioner also administers a number of complaints-based reporting schemes which provide a safety net for Australian users when things go wrong online. | Access to digital technology and Access to digital skills | • Educational, promotional and community awareness activities, including targeted materials for women experiencing abuse, harassment and other forms of harm • Regulatory and compliance activities • Coordination activities across Government • Research, advice and liaison activities. For example, in the 2021-22 Budget, eSafety received AUD 18 million for measures to target online harms that disproportionately impact women and children. These include: • AUD 15 million to increase eSafety’s investigations capacity, which includes investigations into reports of image-based abuse. • AUD 3 million to develop new technologies to identify intimate images and duplicates of intimate images which have been shared without consent. This will assist in the rapid removal of image-based abuse material, providing greater support to victims. | N/A | The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications is the policy department responsible for online safety in Australia. The Department worked very closely with the regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, to develop the Online Safety Act and consider the practical implications of the policy. The Department and eSafety continue to work closely on online safety issues so that Australia’s regulatory framework keeps pace with new technology and emerging online safety challenges. Note: the eSafety Commissioner is an independent statutory office holder who is appointed by the Minister and provided support by staff from the Australian Communications and Media Authority. | It is best practice to consult widely with a broad range of stakeholders when developing legislation and policy responses. This ensures that the direct or indirect impact of the policy on those groups is well understood and taken into account when developing the legislation. The Act has only been in place since 23 January 2022 and therefore there is insufficient evidence to evaluate its effectiveness in supporting women. However, an independent review of the Act must commence within three years of the Act coming into effect. The Act also sets out reporting requirements on the regulatory actions taken by the eSafety Commissioner. The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications continues to monitor the effectiveness of the Act against its intended outcomes. |
| eSafety Women Program (Australia) | Adopting a gendered lens to policy, programme design and implementation is part of the eSafety model of engagement. Through its data and research insights, eSafety has identified identify that the online experience is gendered, with women identified as disproportionately likely to experience online abuse, including image-based abuse. These insights have enabled eSafety to develop discrete programmes focusing on building awareness across Australia and globally of the gendered nature of online harms and help-seeking behaviours to reduce the level and severity of online harms. | Access to digital technology and Access to digital skills | • Providing practical tools and information to equip women to protect themselves and their families against all forms of online abuse • training frontline, specialist and support staff in the domestic and family violence sector, giving them the knowledge, skills and resources to effectively support women and their families, and • actively raising awareness and understanding of technology-facilitated abuse to help women identify it and take steps towards preventing it. As of February 2022, more than 15 000 domestic and family violence frontline workers have participated in eSafety’s face-to-face workshops or webinar sessions, and 3 500 frontline workers have registered for online professional development training. The Women In The Spotlight programme began in recognition that women, particularly those in leadership positions or who are required to maintain an active online presence as part of their professional lives face unacceptably high levels of gender-based abuse online. | The eSafety Commissioner is an independent statutory office holder, with responsibility for online safety regulation. Staff supporting the Commissioner have a range of skillsets and competencies including educators, investigators, programme managers, policy professionals, technology experts and digital specialists. The eSafety Women programme is driven by staff from eSafety’s Education, Prevention and Inclusion branch. | The eSafety Women programme (including Women in the Spotlight) currently comprises 10 staff across two teams. eSafety has key partnerships with domestic violence peak bodies, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and organizations with staff who are required to have an online presence for work. Recognising the importance of a strong evidence base to support the initial and ongoing development of the model, eSafety Women leverage the skills of the eSafety research team as well as academic institutions and national research think tanks to support this work. | There has been global interest in the eSafety Women program, with significant enquiries from international governments, multilateral organizations, international violence against women networks, national NGOs, and various academic institutions. In partnership with the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, eSafety is currently working across the Pacific region with violence against women networks and national domestic and family violence (DFV) service providers to contextualise the eSafety Women training for frontline workers to meet the needs of Pacific Island DFV workforce. The evidence base supporting the Australian model will be used to complement the localised experiences of online gender-based violence across the Pacific. In addition, the Women In The Spotlight training will be delivered to the Network of Pacific Women Leaders to increase their capacity to safeguard themselves from online abuse. |
| Gender equality, disability and social inclusion Strategy (Australia) | The Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through the Cyber and Critical Tech Cooperation Program (CCTCP), works with Southeast Asian and Pacific countries to improve cyber resilience within the region. Gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) is a Values Pillar of the International Cyber & Critical Tech Engagement Strategy and a cross cutting theme of the CCTCP. As part of mainstreaming gender equality, disability and social inclusion into all program, in 2022 the CCTCP released a dedicated GEDSI Strategy. A GEDSI lens drives empowerment and equitable opportunity and benefit, upholding and protecting liberal democratic values, human rights and the ethical design, development and use of critical technologies. | Access to digital technology and Access to digital skills | Several flagship projects as well as mainstreaming these efforts across all activities. Across the CCTCP portfolio, a minimum of 10 per cent of the overall Program funds will be invested in GEDSI-specific activities (this is in addition to gender mainstreaming throughout activities) by 2025. Given approximately 6 per cent of funds is currently allocated towards GEDSI-specific projects, an increase in funding of approximately two per cent of the total budget is required per year. In targeted GEDSI projects, the CCTCP will work with partners that have specific technical expertise and knowledge and an ability to successfully influence outcomes, including GEDSI focused organizations and networks from the Pacific, Mekong and/or South-East Asia. CCTCP will take a collaborative and incremental approach to facilitating improvements in GEDSI skills, practice and outcomes across the Program. The CCTCP GEDSI matrix will assist partners to understand the underpin a CCTCP-designed and supported self-assessment activity for Program partners. As a diagnostic tool it can be used to assess if, and how well, interventions are currently identifying, examining and addressing GEDSI considerations, and to determine ways to move projects along the matrix toward more transformative and impactful GEDSI programming. Partners will be supported to explore GEDSI components of the activity design. Projects already funded through CCTCP will be provided with the opportunity to opt-in to the GEDSI self-assessment process. Projects that demonstrate improvement, progress, unique or exceptional interventions will be highlighted and celebrated within the programme via CCTCP learning events, programme communications (internal and external) and at relevant forums facilitated by CCTCP. Partners with low ratings will be supported to improve their practice over time in order to access continued funding. | There has been a very collaborative approach by the CCTCP in the design and development of this Strategy. As part of annual reporting processes and project evaluation, there was a clear theme that CCTCP partners were very interested and engaged in this work, and that they wanted to have more direction and support in terms of GEDSI practice. This work commenced with a literature review of cyber and critical technology to understand more broadly the challenges facing the sector across the globe, as well as the region in which the CCTCP operates. Following that review, there was then a survey of all CCTCP partners to gauge awareness and areas for improvement across the GEDSI spectrum. Based on this survey a series of workshops occurred with as well as a programme wide learning event to enhance awareness and share knowledge. The work then shifted focus on drafting the strategy and associated support materials and getting expert advice on both the gender and disability aspects. Throughout the development of the strategy, having GEDSI advice was critical as was senior management support and partner collaboration. | Partners will be encouraged and supported to mainstream GEDSI into each stage of the project management cycle at the design phase. All project proposals and expressions of interest will be reviewed with a GEDSI lens aligned to CCTCP GEDSI self-assessment tool, ensuring that budgets, designs, implementation approaches, monitoring and evaluation frameworks and project risks appropriately consider, respond to and track progress against GEDSI priorities and opportunities. Where possible we will work with partners to further develop the potential and impact of GEDSI elements within a project. The GEDSI self-assessment tool and process and associated guidance notes will also provide partners with the tools they need to excel in GEDSI practices. As part of project budgets, we are factoring in potential costs for GEDSI specialist advice and services | Whilst the GEDSI Strategy is a relatively new document, the process and tools piloted to date have been very easy for partners to use and apply in a range of locations and contexts. CCTCP will use the following approaches to track the effectiveness of the GEDSI strategy in strengthening GEDSI practice across the Program: • Annual review of partner self-assessments and reports, combined with interviews with select stakeholders to track the overall GEDSI status of projects funded against the CCTCP GEDSI matrix (initially this will involve new projects and opt-in projects only), with reference to the quality of GEDSI mainstreaming activities, and an assessment of intermediate and final GEDSI outcomes • Annual review of the percentage of: - Program funds allocated to GEDSI specific projects against the GEDSI Strategy target of a minimum of 10 per cent by 2025, with an expected 2 per cent annual increase - funds allocated to mainstreaming activities in new project activities against Strategy targets of between three to 10 per cent • Monitoring partner perceptions on an annual basis, including: - level of awareness of other CCTCP partners working on the same issues, or in the same geographic area - level of access to GEDSI resources and information at a country or regional level, facilitated by CCTCP - the effectiveness and value of GEDSI learning events and tools for strengthening GEDSI practice across projects. |
| Action Plan to Support Women Scientists and Engineers (Republic of Korea) | “Act on fostering an supporting women scientists and technicians” has been enacted to contribute to the reinforcement of the capacities of women for science and technology and the development of national science and technology by devising policies to foster women in science, engineering, and technology, to make practical use of their abilities, and to support them, by extending assistance helping them to sufficiently display their talents and abilities. | Access to digital skills and Entrepreneurship and leadership | MSIT launched 2022 Action Plan to Support Women Scientists and Engineers” to help enhance capabilities of women scientists and engineers. This Action Plan consists of three strategies: i) fostering innovative women talent in science and technology, ii) creating more sustainable jobs for women scientists and engineers, and iii) fostering an environment where people can strike a balance between work and life. The Action Plan will include a project to foster and support women scientists and engineers, and a project to establish and operate the support centres for women scientists and engineers. Some guidelines are established to promote the participation of woman researcher in critical R&D projects. When selecting the government budget R&D Project, extra points will be provided if more than 10per cent or participants are woman or the project leader is woman. The Republic of Korea IT Business Women’s Association has implemented research on Career Development of Female College Students in Science and Engineering in ICT industry and Promotion of ICT Entrepreneurship and Start-up.by woman. The Association has mentored girls and young woman as well as held forums and seminars. Digital New Deal Project promoting job opportunities for Young Women are implemented by some local governments. This project financially supports companies who hiring young women for the post related to digital contents or digital technology. | The Framework Act and other policy measures creates enabling environment for gender equality and may provide guidelines to private sector. | Government budget for gender equality and other funds are available. Various mentoring programmes with voluntary participation of women experts and professionals are provided for girls and young woman. Training programmes on new digital technology, service and entrepreneurship for young women and women with career interruption are implemented in line with Digital New Deal Strategy. | Currently many proactive measures are taken and it is expected that some achievement and its positive impact will be visible in near future. |
The commonwealth of independent states
Practice | Type | Policy area | Activities | Governance | Resources | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A multimedia online course and web portal for women and girls (Azerbaijan) | An online multimedia course on digital skills for women and girls in order to ensure equal participation of women and girls in the digital economy and information society. As a result of the project, the goal was achieved, and an online multimedia course on digital skills was created. This e-learning resource will help build people's capacity, help women and girls start their careers or use digital technology in their work. | Access to digital technology and Access to digital skills | Expert profiles required for the project were identified in areas such as project coordination and e-learning, teaching content, e-learning platform and programming. To create a multimedia online course, analyses were conducted to identify the requirements and prepare a job description. Requirements were developed for the creation of an e-learning platform and a multimedia online course. These requirements include easy access to and registration for courses, comprehensible and easy-to-use content, post-course examinations, a certificate of completion, and feedback on the courses. Based on these requirements, the design and technical parameters of the portal, and the content and form of presentation of the courses were determined. It was decided to develop the content based on the Microsoft Digital Literacy course. As a result of the work, 120 video lessons for 8 courses were developed on the basis of content developed using the Microsoft Digital Skills course and other resources. | The Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies and ICT Applying and Training Center conducted a promotion campaign about the project. The Ministry also sent circular letters to the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sport to inform all schools and colleges about this course and portal. Another delivery strategy was to increase public awareness about this web platform through doing information sessions and attracting different organization to promote self-study on this web portal. Training Center has already organized many information sessions to attract more females to use this platform. So far, we have had several sessions in deferent conferences under the Innoweek 2020 in Azerbaijan. We presented the course and platform to different female organizations, NGOs, and government organizations. These presentations in female dedicated tech events allow to reach partners which can share information about the platform and the course. | Implemented with the technical assistance of ITU and the infrastructure of the ICT LAB Applying and Training Center. In the project also used Microsoft Digital Literacy course | Since the portal was launched, 682 people have registered and participated in the courses. At the same time, those who do not have access to the Internet and computers have access to the Center's regional study rooms. Participants of the courses submitted their opinions about the courses through the portal. About 100 reviews were collected for each course. According to the reviews, 97per cent of respondents using the portal and courses gave the highest rating points and highly rated the courses. Also in 2022 The "Young IT Professionals" project was launched. About 200 people (75 women) are participating in the trainings offline and online. |
| IT courses and IT Parks for bridging the gender digital gap in rural regions (Uzbekistan) | Organize IT courses to empower rural women to obtain IT knowledge and skills in order to have equal opportunities to gain employment for generating income and have equal access to the boundless opportunities of ICT. The course on IT will be organized for the female citizens of Uzbekistan living in regions. There will be 2 types of IT courses depending on the level of girls’ knowledge: digital literacy and IT skills course; and graphic design course. | Access to digital skills | To form the list of participant priority in selecting women for graphic design courses will be given to the following applicants: Women completed IT courses; Women having basic knowledge in the selected sphere of IT; Women having the motivation to work in the IT sphere; Women working in IT companies, but not having enough knowledge and skills to work in graphic design specialist positions. Selection of applications for the digital literacy course will be conducted depending on the following criteria: Women having the motivation to study IT; Women that do not have basic digital skills; Women planning to advance skills and knowledge after the course. The language of the course is Uzbek or Russian, duration is 3 months. IT Park’s major activities include – startups development, attracting international BPO companies, IT and regional infrastructure enlargement, IT education (IT Academy and regional IT centres), IT Park resident support, IT export development, and implementation of Corporate Innovations | In September 2019, Uzbekistan adopted the country’s first ever gender equality law, “Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men”. The long-awaited law represents a firm stance against gender-based discrimination and ensures equal rights for both sexes – an ambitious goal in a society with deeply-rooted gender stereotypes. | One of the main objectives of IT Park is to promote IT education and strengthen IT skills and potential of citizen in IT. Therefore, IT Park actively develops IT education sphere in the regions. Today, there are more than 200 IT centres, created by IT Park all over Uzbekistan. The main aim of this is to create equal opportunities for IT education for every citizen from any region of Uzbekistan. IT Park Uzbekistan closely collaborates nationally and internationally. There are more than 30 projects with governmental organizations | The organization of IT courses for bridging the gender digital gap in regions is important to provide IT literacy, knowledge and skills as for selected 180 women, so for Uzbek society. As of now, more than 500 companies have received resident status in IT Park and are actively engaged in processing of data and web portals, software development, training in information technology, and other IT-related activities, with some actively exporting their services to the United States of America, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, and CIS countries |
Sources:
Europe
Practice | Type | Policy area | Activities | Governance | Resources | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #eSkills4Girls (Germany) | With a joint statement on #eSkills4Girls published at the G20 summit in Hamburg in 2017, the Heads of State and Government of the G20 member states agreed to take action to close the gender digital divide. #eSkills4Girls corresponds to Germanys feminist development policy by promoting gender equality in the digital age. #eSkills4Girls is part of the Federal Governments implementation strategy “Shaping Digitalization”. | Access to digital technology, Access to digital skills and Entrepreneurship and leadership | To translate the political commitments into practice, BMZ implements numerous activities under the framework of the initiative #eSkills4Girls, which are the result of the collaboration between governments, private sector, academia and civil society organizations. The initiative is implemented on three levels: (1) Bilaterally at project level: #eSkills4Girls Ghana focuses on formal as well as non-formal education the project incorporates activities in the field of (1) TVET and (2) the Digital Transformation Center. #eSkills4Girls South Africa promotes labour market relevant digital competencies to increase the employability of South African youth on various levels. (2) Multilaterally through work in the Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age (EQUALS), and (3) through cooperation with the private sector and NGOs. Large IT corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Mozilla and SAP in particular are increasingly engaged, both financially and with their own projects, in promoting digital skills for women and girls in developing countries. | N/A | N/A | Since 2017, BMZ has supported #eSkills4Girls measures and projects in a total of 32 countries worldwide - 22 of which were from the African continent. Thanks to #eSkills4Girls over 60.000 girls and women have been trained in basic or advanced digital competencies. Examples include: • #eSkills4Girls Rwanda: Since 2018, 210 women in Rwanda have completed WeCode Academy's 6-month training to become software testers or software developers. • #eSkills4Girls Fund: In the first two rounds of the #eSkills4Girls Fund 13.158 women have been trained in digital skills by 20 NGOs from around the globe. • #eSkills4Girls Coding workshops: Between 2017 and 2021, 31.679 women and girls from 20 African countries took part in #eSkills4Girls Coding Workshops during Africa Code Week. • 60 representatives from education and digital ministries took part in 3 #eSkills4PolicyMaker workshops in Africa and Asia promoting gender-responsive policymaking based on the R.E.A.C.T. framework. • Showcase female role models: Female role models and mentors from the digital sector can strengthen young girls’ ambitions to take up a career in the tech sector and support those girls in pursuing their goals with self-confidence. #eSkills4Girls challenges existing gender roles e.g., the book “Women in Tech: Inspiration. No Fairytales” portrays 30 inspirational women from all over the world who have made their way into the tech industry. |
| Systematic promotion and support of women in STEM is by a public university (Montenegro) | Committee for Women in Mathematics in Montenegro promoting gender equality and gender parity in STEM. Emphasis is put on science, innovation and technology policy, legal and institutional framework, but there is limited benefit for women. The only systematic approach to promotion and support of women in STEM is by the public university. | Access to digital skills | Science is promoted through Open Science Days organised from 1-5 October in 7 cities in the economy and through projects competitions organised annually from 2011 onwards. | N/A | Gender representation in STEM areas is also addressed by the Development Strategy of University of Montenegro, which states that “In addition to education in the field of modern educational content, special attention will be paid to the promotion and preservation of academic integrity, interdisciplinary approach and internationalisation of study programmes, as well as popularisation of studies in priority areas (STEM and S3) as key levers of successful positioning of the University of Montenegro in the European Higher Education Area”. This document defines development of STEM areas as a priority goal, but also identifies possible risks stating that “The criteria for identifying priority national areas are not sufficiently based on real needs; as well the insufficient interest of the high school population in studies in priority areas”. | Representatives of public educational institutions pointed out one organization – Tinker, with special interest in STEM and involvement of girls in STEM. Tinker is part of Devoxx4kids and is introducing children to programming. Amplify, another NGO, has implemented Montenegrin Girls in STEM programme aimed at empowering young girls to discover STEM disciplines. The programme offered a school programme for 50 girls from elementary schools in Podgorica to learn more about robotics and programming. |
| Advancing the introduction of digital skills in the education system (Serbia) | Programming is taught in all primary schools, and informatics and computer science was made compulsory in secondary schools in 2017. Efforts are made to ensure digital literacy, including experimenting with digital textbooks and equipping classrooms with digital equipment and materials. | Access to digital skills | Small-scale and pilot efforts are being made to ensure that girls both participate in and benefit from this new system. | Nearly 1 750 additional schools are in the process of being connected to a free, secure academic Internet network, which includes access to educational content and the ability to block sites with harmful content. | The Serbian Plan for Empowerment of Women in ICT 2019-2020 includes training on “programming, project management and digital entrepreneurship” for 150 primary school girls; training for 200 secondary school girls to become peer educators on Internet safety; activities to connect 25 female students at technical faculties with IT companies to provide internships, professional training and mentoring; and “creative workshops” for female secondary school students on applying technology tools, such as virtual reality, robotics and computer- aided design, in fields from music to architecture. | Assessment of individual students’ digital competences is the main focus of national tests in lower and upper secondary education in Serbia. The number of university technological facilities, IT departments in secondary schools and places for students at technical faculties is also increasing, as the Government aims to increase the number of new skilled IT workers from 1 500 per year to 5 000 per year. While the percentage of women studying ICT in Serbia remains small at 28 per cent, this is 7 percentage points higher than the European Union average of 21 per cent. |
| Health Tech Lab (Serbia) | Health Tech Lab is to create a global network of the local health-tech ecosystems collaborating for impact: • facilitate digitalization of health systems through new emerging technologies into medicine through telemedicine, robotics and other technologies for health-tech innovations in all developing countries; • support and connect all health-tech ecosystems of developed countries that wish to develop ICT-centric health solutions; and • promote existing innovative health-tech solutions and support their sustainable growth and development. | Access to digital skills and Entrepreneurship and leadership | Health Tech Lab Serbia organizes heath-tech meetups, conferences, workshops, start-up competitions and acceleration programmes in order to foster the health tech-ecosystem. HTL is meant to be the core, foundational health-tech ecosystem that enables creation of new health- tech labs in other countries. Through local HTL chapter partnerships, other HTL ecosystems of other developing countries will be established that will be coached/supported by the HTL Serbia. HTL is currently at the stage of gathering requests from other countries | Health Tech Lab is a private initiative and non-governmental organization, driven by health-tech ecosystem stakeholders. In addition, Health Tech Lab Serbia is supported by an international Advisory Board, composed of seven prominent international experts from the United Kingdom, Israel, the United States, the European Union and Serbia. The Board supports the organization with mentorship, advice on technology transfer, business and entrepreneurship, and health- tech innovation activities. | HTL relies mainly on non-financial sources, developing the local, Serbian network of partnerships with institutions, health and tech professionals and students, building further connections, novel solutions and projects based on their skills and knowledge. The Advisory Board is crucial in that respect. HTL considers its partners and network one of its biggest assets. Local Serbian partners include Swiss Contact, Bel Medic, Roche Serbia, Epsilon, Data Science Conference, Polyhedra, Kliker ICT for kids, InCentar, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Institute for Molecular Genetics and Genetics Engineering, USAID Serbia, UNDP Serbia, Digital Serbia Initiative and ICT Hub International. International partners include MASHAV (Israel), European Youth Award, World Summit Awards, Science Park Graz (Austria), cLAB Ventures (the United Kingdom), and Governmental Blockchain Association (the United States). HTL has been an active member of the European Connected Health Alliance since 2018. | During the first two years, HTL organized several events and supported many start-ups by: • (co-)organizing eight health-tech meetups and health-tech start-up competitions with Startup Jerusalem; • co-organizing a pre-acceleration programme for 24 health start-ups in collaboration with the Innovation Forum Cambridge (the United Kingdom) and the Science and Technology Park Belgrade; and • co-developing 50 Serbian based health-tech start-ups, including Srem-Cath (innovative catheter), Anora technology (glove for the blind), and Herbelixa (innovative drug for treatment of Helicobacter pilori). |
Sources:
Annex to G20 Leaders Declaration. G20 Initiative “#eSkills4Girls”. Transforming the future of women and girls in the digital economy.
https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regional-Presence/Europe/Documents/Events/2021/Genderedper
https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-d/opb/inno/D-INNO-GOOD_PRACT.03-2021-PDF-E.pdf