G20 Flagship projects

Description of the project:

The project aims at promoting the sociopolitical participation of women and young girls in Zambia. By training them in Digital Skills, Mobile Story Telling and Citizen Journalism, Data Privacy, and Cyber Security, their role in an active online citizenship is strengthened. 40 women and girls from the two provinces Copperbelt and Southern Province between 17 and 30 years, who have completed the grade 12 formal education, are being trained.  Mentors from Community Radio Stations are actively supporting and guiding the participants in producing and airing short audio stories and reports, which are also shared to Facebook and twitter. Transparency International Zambia is providing online space on their website to further spread the stories. Each woman should individually apply her skills and is therefore provided with a smartphone, a power bank, and monthly mobile data bundles. A reimbursement for the submission of stories enables them to refinance the cost of the devices (at 50% of the actual price).  The training curriculum is being developed by the project’s main partner, the Zambian civil society organization Alliance for Community Action, together with a GIZ Digital Ambassador. It includes five days of digital skills training, as well as five days of training on citizen journalism. The application of a human-rights based approach helps the women and girls understand the importance of their own rights as citizens. 

A future engagement of national female mentors and role models from different Zambian societal spheres and sectors, as well as organizing monthly mentoring and exchange visits in the two target areas is meant to provide the women with further guidance and support.  Additionally, a mid-term event in collaboration with the team behind TEDxLusaka could include the participation of the women and girls. 

Area of focus of the project:

• strengthening sociopolitical participation and active citizenship online 
• fostering the demand for transparency and accountability