Session Description
As digital transformation and the use of the internet accelerate, securing inclusive digital economies is crucial to ensure that the future of work is equitable, resilient, and sustainable. The future of Work is rapidly reshaped by the digitalization of work and how it is delivered or accessed thus digitalizing economies. Whereas the digital economy of Uganda is on an ascent with many individuals and workplaces adopting the internet as a means of delivery and revenue, marginalized groups like women and youth continue to face challenges due to digital gender divides. For example, online insecurities on free interaction, breached personal data protection and privacy, digital illiteracy, inaccessibility, and unaffordability, all as gaps that exclude and limit them in digital spaces and extent of work. Recently, Pollicy has been undertaking a multi-stakeholder initiative to build the digital resilience of women in workplaces through harnessed multimedia interventions for the Future of Work. Targeting women leaders, media practitioners, activists, educators, technologists, creatives, artists, and community organizers, Pollicy discovered that the participation of these different women groups in the digital economy is hampered by the systemic digital gender-based gaps as earlier mentioned. It was also appreciated that there is a need for innovative strategies that; create collaborative work towards securing safer digital and remote workspaces, a need to revolutionize data and responsive strategies from an African perspective and more specifically to Afro feminism to achieve the right representation of African women experiences, monitor and report on the performance of African countries like Uganda on their progress towards digital inclusion through an innovative tool, the Afro Feminist Internet Scorecard and, award individuals, initiatives or entities that have richly contributed to digital inclusion.
Through this session, Pollicy therefore proposes a multi-stakeholder dialogue to generate feasible strategies that can integrate cybersecurity, accessibility and inclusivity, digital literacy and skills development, sustainable economic opportunities and practices, and equitable growth into the digital economy, fostering a future where all individuals and communities can thrive in the evolving workforce landscape.
Objectives
- Foster policy recommendations and initiatives that promote safer workplaces, equitable growth, and opportunities for all participants in the digital economy.
- Advocate for sustainable digital practices that combat Online Gender-Based Violence and promote long-term digital and economic resilience.
- Foster partnerships and collaborations between the different stakeholders towards a shared responsibility in securing inclusive digital economies for the Future of Work
- Inform stakeholders about the Afro Feminist Internet Scorecard and Awards, as innovative interventions towards an equitable Future of Work.
Expected Outcomes
The expected outcomes from this session shall be increased awareness and appreciation of the crucial need for inclusive digital economies for an equitable Future of Work among stakeholders, generation of multistakeholder solutions and policy recommendations towards a safer digital economy for the future of work, fostering partnerships and collaborations among multi-stakeholders for a shared goal in achieving an equitable digital economy and resilience for the marginalized groups. This is in addition to the creation of awareness about the Afro Feminist Internet Scorecard, Awards, and how the different stakeholders can participate in the initiatives as a means to the desired Future of Work.
Target Audience
The target audience for this session shall be; media practitioners, women leaders, academia, students, technologists, Women Rights Civil Society Organizations, Digital Rights Organizations, Activists, Policy makers and enforcers, Private Sector, Development Partners(National, Regional, and International)
Format
This session shall be conducted as a physical multi-stakeholder round table dialogue of panel discussions, presentations, and interactive plenaries.
Panelists/Speakers
- Dorah Atwongyeire- Digital Manager, Next Media Services
- Brenda Namata, Program Coordinator, Strategic Gender Initiatives, Pollicy
- Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentogo – Academia, Cartoonist and Digital Activist
- Doreen Bugingo – Ministry of ICT
Presentation on the Afro Feminist Internet Scorecard and Awards- Pollicy