Empowering women through digital literacy: IFAP's impact across marginalized communities

Adapting strategies to community needs

IFAP projects have confirmed that enhancing digital literacy requires a multifaceted approach, as the needs of rural Indian areas are not the same as those in urban Islamic Republic of Iran. Therefore, tailored workshops, focused on economic empowerment and digital literacy, were organized by partner institutions such as the Central University of Jammu in India, aimed to address the significant digital divide and lack of entrepreneurship opportunities among women in rural communities.

Similarly, in Georgia, efforts were directed towards addressing the impact of societal norms and gender biases on women's engagement with digital literacy programmes. Finally, In the Islamic Republic of Iran, reducing the educational gap among women and girls was a necessity due to significant disparities. To address this need, the Allameh Tabatabai University organized specialized workshops and surveys, to raise their digital skills in media and information literacy and to influence the integration of gender-specific strategy programmes into national strategies.

Participants displaying their certificates of completion of the digital and information literacy course.

© Business and Technology University, Georgia

Empowering women to guarantee their rights

IFAP's actions are directed towards a human centered empowerment of beneficiaries. By providing women with the knowledge to navigate the digital world, IFAP continuously seeks community-centered approach to make this commitment a day-to-day reality. To bridge the technological gap in India, a project funded by IFAP, introduced mobile phone-based gadgets and produced a Rural Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme Manual (Swawlamban). This resulted in improving digital skills of 265 women and girls in rural locations and helping them to effectively express themselves in the digital world. In Georgia, the Business and Technology University trained 60 women, including Georgian citizens and Ukrainian refugees, to master digital technologies. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, women participants are now more proficient in using digital tools.

IFAP's projects thrive through the commitment of multiple stakeholders. The need for stronger collaboration is ever-present, and only through global efforts will women's rights be fully exercised both online and offline. As a unique UNESCO intergovernmental programme that supports Members States in fostering equitable society through universal access to information and knowledge, IFAP is a long-term programme at the heart of UNESCO's policies on media and information literacy.