This is a final quarterly newsletter in the year of 2022 that highlights Zaina Foundation work and activities from September to December, in these months Zaina Foundation opened the Branch Office at Zanzibar, conducted different Training of promoting Digital Rights in Tanzania such as Digital safety Training for Women Journalists, activists, students and people with disabilities. Advocacy workshop for the Data Protection bill in Tanzania and continue to advocate for internet freedom through mass media such as Television, Radio, newspaper, blogs and social media. In the following paragraphs we share some of our work and activities from recent months.
September- December Roundup
- Media tour with Radio one
Zaina Foundation visited at Radio One “Kumepambazuka” held on 8th September 2022 to advocate about Digital Voice Project with the hashtag #BeOnline which aimed to increase civic space engagement for young women University students/college through digital safety training which helped to prevent Online Gender Based Violence. The Communication and Advocacy manager represents ZF who had a panel discussion with the representative of TCRA to advocate on the proper use of the internet and social media to the audience where by more than 10 millions were reached who tune in the Radio one station.
- Collaborating with our stakeholders events
In the month of September on Zaina Foundation collaborate with other organisations by participating in the several events which are, Connected African Girls Coding Camp 2022 to talk with 100 girls about the digital gender gaps, digital skills as an opportunity, digital safety and how can stay safe online in order to fight against Online Gender Based Violence (OGBV) which was represented by Executive Director. Also on October 29th 2022 participated in the commemoration of the International day of democracy to celebrate political democracy and encourage the government to strengthen and consolidate democracy which was organised by Pollicy Organization. Further participated in the Youth Internet Governance Forum which was organised by Internet Society chapter in Tanzania to discuss on “Connectivity and digital rights”
- Digital Voice project training for young women activists
Zaina Foundation continues on implementing its project, Digital Voice (Sauti ya kidigitali) on capacitating young women university students aged 17-25 years of University of Dar es salaam (UDSM) about digital safety which can help to prevent OGBV. Zaina Foundation met with thirty(30) participants from different faculty of University of Dar es salaam including people with Disabilities, with most of them using digital platforms like social media but were not aware about the digital safety skills.
4.Annual NGOs Forum
Zaina Foundation participated in the second annual non-governmental forum held on the 03rd and 4th October 2022 Dodoma and was organised by the government and the council of non-governmental organisations aimed to bring together about 1500 stakeholders from different non-government organisations to discuss plans and proper cooperative strategies in bringing community development. During the NGOs Forum Prime Minister Kasimu Majaliwa launched twenty Gender Desks for NGOs within the government institutions that will facilitate the goals of improving the sustainability of non-government organisations. Similarly institutions that performed well received excellence awards including Zaina Foundation
- Partnered in CPC Event
Zaina Foundation partnered with Paradigm Initiative in Collaborative Policy Coalition event, to meet with the Digital Rights Coalition members to discuss the related policies and laws of the Digital Rights in Tanzania, its challenges and recommendations. During this event ZF shared an analysis of EPOCA amended law which provides recommendations to the challenges, also presenting the ongoing data Protection Bill of Tanzania to accumulate the views and thoughts from participants in relation to digital rights. The event was attended by thirty participants who are Lawyers/Advocates, Journalists, CSOs, Internet service providers, Academia and government representatives.
- Joined in the Annual ICT Conference
Zaina Foundation joined in the annual ICT conference in Zanzibar which was held on 26th-28th October 2022 and prepared an exhibition booth which showcased our work to different stakeholders who attended in the conference. Moreover the conference was attended by different government representatives including Ministry of communication and Information Technology Hon Nape Nnauye and the President of the Revolutionary government of Zanzibar Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi. More than 2500 ICT stakeholders from Tanzania and outside Tanzania attended this Conference in Zanzibar
- Digital Safety Training for People with Disabilities
Zaina Foundation conducted Digital Safety training to women with disabilities in Tanzania which capacitated them about online safety which will enable them to come up with their own safety plan and increased their participation online. The training was conducted on 4th November 2022 with seventeen People with disabilities of different categories including albinism, physical disability and blind . Also through this training Zaina Foundation conducted a research on analysing the challenges facing people with disabilities online which will help an organisation to plan for the future project with this group. Zaina Foundation is the only Association for Progressive Communication (APC) member in Tanzania and this project is funded by APC.
- Opening Branch Office in Zanzibar
As we continue to expand our work, which enables us to reach more beneficiaries from different parts of Tanzania, we succeeded in opening the branch office in Zanzibar from 2nd of November, 2022. The plan is continuing to serve the community of Zanzibar. We expect to collaborate with other NGO from Zanzibar like ZAFELA and TAMWA Zanzibar. Main digital rights challenges for Zanzibar are increased OGBV for women and key population groups which affected them to participate online and in politics, Infringe freedom of expression, lack of awareness on digital safety to at-risk groups of women.
- Global Meeting event
Zaina Foundation attended the global meeting for resiliency program for CSOs’ in Dar es salaam, Tanzania on 14th to 16th which was organised by Partners Global to learn about the Resiliency program. The meeting was attended by participants from thirteen (13) countries in four continents which are Africa, Europe, Latin America and U.S who represented the Civil Society organisation which benefited from the program. Representatives from different organisations’ including Zaina Foundation shared their improvements and achievements attained through the program, challenges as well as providing their recommendations in the future projects.
- Collaborating with Coalition of Women Human Rights Defender during International Human Rights Defenders Day
Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders of Tanzania in partnering with UN Women commemorated the International Women Rights Defenders Day, on Dodoma with its members to celebrate their achievements, analyse the challenges faced and come up with the solutions towards the challenges. Zaina Foundation represented by Program Manager who contributed in providing suggestions for fighting against online gender based violence to women and girls since we was in 16 Days of Activism which goes with the slogan of ”Every Life Has Value: Let’s Unite to End Gender Based Violence”
- ANT –OGBV Award
December 8 2022, Zaituni Njovu Executive Director at Zaina Foundation won the Award from WiLDAF and Gender Based Violence (GBV) MKUKI Coalition in collaboration with UNFDP, Development partners in US Denmark, Finland, Switzerland and Irish embassies in Tanzania, commemorate 16 Days of Activism by honouring and acknowledging women movements and leadership in preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls by giving the ANT-OGBV Champions award. Zaituni Njovu Executive Director of Zaina Foundation awarded a trophy of a Champion Using Innovation in Ending Online Gender
Based Violence to women and girls, which was given by the Switzerland ambassador of Tanzania, ambassador Shazo. Zaituni won this award due to her efforts in ending online violence to girls and advancing civic space to young female activists from universities and colleges in Tanzania through the Digital Voice project.
- Digital Safety Training for Women Journalists
As we end up in the year of 2022, we conducted a Digital Safety Training of women journalists on 13th and 14th December in Morogoro Region at Morena Hotel. The two days training contains a total number of fifteen (15) women Journalists who are working in the different media houses of Morogoro such as Radio, Television, Online TV and Newspaper, who capacitated digital safety which enabled them to improve organisational security and develop security plans for each individual.
We are very grateful to our Supporters and partners throughout 2022.