South Africa
Introductory
Event Organizer(s)
Description
The digital landscape offers significant opportunities for socio-economic development, but gender disparities continue to limit equitable access and participation. Women and gender-diverse groups face obstacles in digital access, skill development, and online safety, limiting their engagement and representation in the digital economy. As South Africa advances its digital transformation agenda, it is crucial that policies are inclusive and responsive to gender-specific challenges and opportunities.
The workshop will focus on digital technology, access to digital skills, access to infrastructure and digital services, that contribute to meaningful participation int the digital society and economy.
The aim of the workshop is to equip policymakers with knowledge, tools, and strategies to integrate gender considerations into digital policies, advancing inclusive development.
Furthermore, to strengthening capacity of legislators on how to mainstream gender in digital policies, with a focus on the intersection of ICT and digital technology, digital skills, and infrastructure and digital services, particularly on policies that impact the creation and expansion of women and gender-diverse gender groups employment in the digital sector and beyond.
Upon completion of this course, participants will have:
- Increased awareness and understanding of gendered barriers and opportunities in digital inclusion.
- Enhanced capacity among legislators to formulate and implement gender-responsive digital policies.
- Sharing of insights drawn from ITU’s Handbook on mainstreaming gender in digital policies (and from other tools and -limited- existing handbooks) on successful practices in place in different countries and discuss similar practices that can potentially be implemented in South Africa.
- Provide frameworks, tools, and best practices for mainstreaming gender in digital policies.
- Enhanced socio-economic opportunities for women and gender-diverse groups in the digital economy.
Group Exercise 1: 25
Group Exercise 2: 25
Group Presentation 1: 25
Group Presentation 2: 25
Total: 100%
Day 1 ( 29 January)
Morning
Introduction
Digital gender divide
The case for gender mainstreaming in digital policies
Gaps in access and use and why this is important
Gender responsive policy making process
Alignment with digital policies
Government institutions in charge of ICT and gender
Institutionalized coordination on digital policies and gender
Afternoon
- Group exercises (tbc):
- Problem Definition - Constructing the Problem
- Problem Definition - Deconstructing the Problem
- Selecting the Policy Option
- Group discussion
- Presentation of group conclusions
- Identification of main take aways
Day 2 (January 30)
Morning
- Gender inclusion in digital policies, strategies and regulations (findings of the ITU-EIF project)
- Checklist for mainstreaming gender in digital policies
- Measuring progress: Tools and handbooks on mainstreaming gender in digital policies – What is available and How this is useful for policymakers
Afternoon
- Group exercises (tbc):
- Stakeholder mapping
- Proposal of a new gender mainstreaming practice
- Identification of lessons learned from existing practices
- Group discussion
- Presentation of group conclusions
- Identification of actions to be taken as a result of the workshop
- Conclusion of the workshop










