CEO’s note on the release of the report “Say ‘NO’ to Online Gender-based violence”

We are very happy to present to you the report, “Say NO to Online Gender-based Violence”

This report has been brought to you by Women at Web Tanzania in cooperation with DW Akademie, supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The report is a highlight of the Regional Online Campaign advocating against online gender-based violence and promoting online safe spaces that was implemented from the 16th to 22nd of November 2020. The activity was just one of the several Women at Web activities implemented in 2020 by Women at Web Tanzania.

Special Thanks to UN Women Tanzania and Plan International for their readiness to partner with Women at Web Tanzania in the launch of the regional campaign. Further gratitude to the readiness of all the partners who were part of the regional campaign all supporting and unanimously voicing our theme “Say No to online gender-based violence”, a seven-day campaign that lasted beyond the intended seven days.

Special acknowledgments to the Embassy of Sweden, Plan International Global and Tanzania, DOT Tanzania, Ndoto Hub, Msichana Initiative, Global Peace Foundation, WiLDAF Tanzania, Her Initiative, Dexterous Tanzania and all the online ambassadors whether at individual or organizational level who stand for promoting online safe spaces.

The Women at Web Project is not just a set of activities with a set of goals in regards to the welfare of women online, it is more than that. It is a movement. This movement is monumental to improving the lives of women by empowering them with knowledge, access to information and opportunities, while observing mental health and most importantly information sharing that will equip them with the capability to make informed decisions that go hand in hand with the use of information technology.

To be able to attain this, we need to have more players on board, more ambassadors, protective laws and regulations and more initiatives all attuning to the same voice of promoting safe spaces and saying “NO” to the online gender-based violence or violence of any form.

It is on that note that Women at Web Tanzania, has embraced as many partners since its start in 2017 to where we are now. We are proud to have reached out, engaged with, worked with a list of close to 60 partners in the last three years in one way or another. The project still remains, stronger and more determined to reach the goal than ever in the capability of the two implementing organisations of Tech & Media Convergency (TMC) and The LaunchPad Tanzania.

It is hard to mention every single person who has been key to the success of this specific activity on the Regional Online Advocacy Campaign, but it goes without saying that it would have not been as successful without all the partners who took part, the wonderful dedicated Women at Web Team, the vibrant Jeshi la Dada team mentioned in the report.

We intend to return again with the Regional Advocacy campaign at the end of this year, 2021; hoping that we will have more partners on board and more impact than the last one, building on where we left off.

To have access to the report please click here and to also get more information about the Women at Web Project that is powered by Tech & Media Convergency (TMC) kindly click here.

Hope you are motivated enough and be part of the journey of enhancing women at youth participation online.

• Asha D. Abinallah
• Country project Lead
• Tech & Media Convergency (TMC) for,
• Women At Web Tanzania
• March 2021