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Technology
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DigitalNewsTechnology
[ June 25, 2024 by AFROWOMENInDigital 0 Comments ]

Sécurité Numérique au Congo : Protégez-vous Contre les Cybercriminels

Le monde numérique offre d’innombrables opportunités pour l’apprentissage, la communication et le développement personnel. Cependant, il présente également des risques significatifs, en particulier pour les jeunes femmes et filles qui peuvent être vulnérables aux cybercriminels. Au Congo, de nombreux cas ont émergé où des jeunes femmes, croyant à l’amour en ligne, ont envoyé des photos et vidéos intimes à des pirates ou à des personnes se faisant passer pour des prétendants amoureux. Ce phénomène est de plus en plus fréquent et inquiétant.

La Situation au Congo

Le Congo, comme de nombreux autres pays africains, connaît une croissance rapide de l’utilisation d’Internet. Cependant, cette augmentation de l’accès au numérique n’est pas accompagnée d’une éducation adéquate sur les dangers potentiels en ligne. En conséquence, de nombreuses jeunes femmes tombent victimes de cybercriminels qui exploitent leur naïveté et leur confiance.

Selon un rapport de l’International Telecommunication Union (ITU), plus de 40% des utilisateurs d’Internet en Afrique ont été victimes de cybercriminalité à un moment donné. Au Congo, les chiffres sont alarmants. Des études locales montrent que les jeunes femmes, en particulier, sont ciblées par des arnaqueurs en ligne qui utilisent des tactiques de manipulation émotionnelle pour obtenir des contenus sensibles qu’ils utilisent ensuite pour l’extorsion ou la honte publique.

Cas Fréquents

L’un des cas les plus courants implique des cybercriminels se faisant passer pour des prétendants amoureux. Ces criminels établissent une relation de confiance avec leurs victimes, souvent via les réseaux sociaux, et les persuadent d’envoyer des photos ou des vidéos intimes. Une fois ces contenus obtenus, les cybercriminels menacent de les publier en ligne si leurs demandes (souvent financières) ne sont pas satisfaites.

Un autre cas fréquent est celui des escroqueries par e-mail où les victimes reçoivent des messages prétendant venir de sources fiables (comme des banques ou des amis) demandant des informations personnelles ou des paiements. Ces escroqueries peuvent entraîner des pertes financières significatives et une violation de la vie privée.

Comment DigitRise Africa Intervient

Chez DigitRise Africa, nous reconnaissons l’urgence de ce problème et nous sommes engagés à le combattre par l’éducation et la sensibilisation. Nos initiatives, telles qu’AFROWOMEN™ In Digital et Africa Women Digital Week, visent à éduquer et autonomiser les femmes et les jeunes filles pour qu’elles puissent naviguer en toute sécurité sur le web. Voici comment nous procédons :

  1. Formation en Cybersécurité : Nous offrons des cours détaillés sur les meilleures pratiques en matière de sécurité en ligne, y compris comment reconnaître et éviter les arnaques, protéger ses informations personnelles et utiliser des outils de sécurité tels que l’authentification à deux facteurs.
  2. Ateliers et Séminaires : Organisés régulièrement, nos ateliers couvrent des sujets tels que la sécurité des réseaux sociaux, la protection contre les logiciels malveillants et les mesures à prendre en cas de cyberattaque.
  3. Support et Conseils : Nous fournissons un support continu et des conseils personnalisés à ceux qui ont été victimes de cybercriminalité, les aidant à comprendre leurs droits et les étapes à suivre pour se protéger.
  4. Campagnes de Sensibilisation : Par le biais de campagnes sur les réseaux sociaux et d’événements communautaires, nous sensibilisons le public aux dangers du cyberespace et aux mesures préventives.

Conseils pour se Protéger Contre les Cybercriminels

1. Ne Partagez Jamais de Contenus Intimes en Ligne : Peu importe à quel point vous faites confiance à quelqu’un, évitez de partager des photos ou des vidéos sensibles en ligne. Une fois partagés, ils échappent à votre contrôle.

2. Utilisez des Mots de Passe Forts : Créez des mots de passe complexes et uniques pour chacun de vos comptes. Utilisez des combinaisons de lettres majuscules et minuscules, de chiffres et de symboles.

3. Activez l’Authentification à Deux Facteurs : Cette couche supplémentaire de sécurité peut empêcher les pirates d’accéder à vos comptes même s’ils obtiennent votre mot de passe.

4. Méfiez-vous des Inconnus : Ne partagez jamais d’informations personnelles avec des personnes que vous ne connaissez que virtuellement. Les cybercriminels utilisent souvent des fausses identités pour gagner votre confiance.

5. Éduquez-vous et Éduquez les Autres : Participez à des formations en cybersécurité et partagez vos connaissances avec votre entourage. La sensibilisation est la première ligne de défense contre la cybercriminalité.

6. Signalez les Activités Suspectes : Si vous recevez des messages suspects ou si vous êtes victime de cybercriminalité, signalez-le immédiatement aux autorités compétentes et aux plateformes concernées.

Conclusion

La cybersécurité est une priorité absolue dans notre société de plus en plus numérique. En éduquant et en sensibilisant les jeunes femmes et filles au Congo, nous pouvons réduire considérablement le nombre de victimes de cybercriminalité. Chez DigitRise Africa, nous sommes déterminés à créer un environnement numérique plus sûr pour tous. Joignez-vous à nous lors de l’Africa Women Digital Week et engageons-nous ensemble à protéger notre communauté contre les cybercriminels. Ensemble, nous pouvons faire une différence.

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NewsStartupTechnology
[ June 20, 2024 by AFROWOMENInDigital 0 Comments ]

Friends Turned Co-Founders Launch Startup To Deliver Clean Energy Solutions To Africa — ‘Think Of It As A Vending Machine For Battery Packs’

Inception: The idea for our startup, Owanga, began to take shape when I, Benedict Owanga, was interning at Paws Between Homes during my sophomore year at Emory University School of Law. A temporary power outage during training made me realize how common such inconveniences are back home in Congo. This sparked conversations with Congolese relatives, revealing the disruptive impact of electricity inconsistencies on their lives. Some recalled classes being canceled, while others studied by candlelight. This inspired me to seek a solution to the dangerous, expensive, and unreliable methods of power generation currently used in the DRC.

Teaming Up With Chinelo Adi: In August 2022, Owanga officially launched with the support of my co-founder, Chinelo Adi, a fellow student at Emory University School of Law. Chinelo was drawn to the clean energy sector after attending a conference on clean energy law. She saw Owanga as an opportunity to contribute to positive change while using her skills and passion for clean energy technology.

DivInc Accelerator Program: Owanga was selected to participate in the DivInc Accelerator Program, supported by Emory Hatchery. This 12-week program provides resources and guidance to early-stage startups involved in equitable and inclusive clean energy transition. We received a $10,000 equity-free grant, $100,000 in products and services, and other valuable resources.

Plug And Play Solution: Owanga offers a “plug and play” solution, providing portable battery packs that can power a one-bedroom home or small business for $2 per day. This pricing was determined through extensive customer feedback to ensure accessibility.

Battery Pack Fueled By Solar Power: Our device is fueled by solar energy, making it cost-efficient and environmentally friendly. We plan to establish strategic locations in 2024 to make the device more accessible, envisioning it as a “vending machine for battery packs.”

Customer Testimonial: Entrepreneurs like Suza Lenge have already experienced the benefits of Owanga’s solar battery packs. Lenge shared in a video that since using Owanga’s solution, he can run his business without electricity worries, leading to increased sales and business growth.

Launching In Africa: We are set to launch our product across Africa in October 2023, following the successful creation of our minimum viable product (MVP) in June 2023. Our goal is to expand our reach to as many areas as possible, providing affordable and clean energy solutions to communities in need.

DigitalSTEMTechnology
[ June 20, 2024 by AFROWOMENInDigital 0 Comments ]

Why do women in tech feel more inclusion in the workplace?

Inclusion matters, and PwC’s research shows that compared to other industries, women in tech feel a greater sense of workplace inclusion. But there’s still a long way to go to reach gender equity.

When it comes to education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), women remain in a minority – by a wide margin. Less than one-third of tech sector employees globally are women, a proportion that drops to just 22% for artificial intelligence (AI) workers. Equally worrying, women account for only 28% of engineering graduates. Why does this matter? For several reasons. Faster progress towards more equal representation in STEM fields is critical to women’s participation in shaping emerging technologies and their ever-expanding impact on the world. It’s also a vital factor in empowering women to access fast-growing and high-paying careers – an area where inequality is further compounded by the fact that as digital innovation continues to disrupt industries, women stand to suffer a greater impact from job losses.

Going forward, the gender imbalance within the tech workforce will also act as a constraint on innovation, growth and the wellbeing of humanity – all at a critical time for business, society and economies, when more tech workers are urgently needed. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. The good – and perhaps surprising – news from our #InclusionMatters research is that despite working in a male-dominated sector, women working in tech are the group of employees who feel the strongest impacts of workplace inclusion when compared with women across 25 other industries.

 

PwC’s Inclusion Matters research

What do the results tell us about women in tech?

 

To quantify this effect, we developed a Workplace Inclusion Indicator Index measuring the key inclusion dimensions of inclusive-decision making, belonging, and fairness at work. The results of this index revealed that women in tech have the highest inclusion score for men or women across all the industries assessed in our research. Tech is also one of only four industries for which women have slightly higher inclusion scores than men.

 

 

Our research shows the tech sector stands apart in other ways too. Compared to women respondents across all sectors, those working in tech are 18 percentage points more likely to ask for a promotion. Even more striking, women working in tech are one percentage point more likely to ask for a promotion compared to men in the sector – a finding that’s in stark contrast to a negative gap of nine percentage points between the average scores for women and men working in all sectors globally. Women in tech also have higher job satisfaction scores than men in their sector, at 66% compared with 63%.

Overall, as shown in the table below, women in tech score significantly higher on several key measures than the global cross-sector results for women. However, our findings are not entirely positive for tech employers: for example, women in tech are six percentage points more likely than the global average to say they plan to change employer in the next 12 months.

 

 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, these differences are also reflected in how women in tech view and plan their careers. Our #InclusionMatters research highlights that they are much more likely than women in other industries to be focused on building their own careers by way of actively seeking out opportunities to learn and develop new skills (65% compared to 57%), and to be requesting feedback to use in enhancing their own performance (62% compared to 52%).

 

The factors driving these results for women in tech

 

This year’s #InclusionMatters findings are especially striking, coming on the back of a period when many tech firms instituted cost-cutting, hiring freezes and headcount reduction measures in response to the challenges of a slowing global economy and aggressive over-hiring during the pandemic. Furthermore, our findings might seem to run counter to research specific to the tech industry, which highlights many prevailing challenges faced by women working in the sector.

 

So, what are the main drivers behind these results? First, some relevant context. This research is broad, providing a cross-industry lens – and in doing so it presents a positive picture of the experience of women working in tech compared with the female workforce generally. Furthermore, the inclusion scores of both men and women tend to increase in line with the seniority of their role, and the men and women working in the tech industry in our survey had higher representation at senior executive and management levels than our respondents overall. However, while this may have influenced the results to a degree, a closer analysis shows that women in non-management, management, and senior executive levels in tech still achieved higher inclusion scores than the women at the same levels across industries.

 

Alongside these considerations, there are also a number of industry characteristics and workforce trends within the tech sector that we can justifiably deduce are having a positive impact on women’s experiences at work. For example, the one constant in technology is change – and this provides for a continuous learning environment that’s both natural and required across the industry. Furthermore, tech as an industry provides access to interesting work and highly-paid jobs. And the tech giants have led the way in investing heavily in employee experience. All of these factors have the clear potential to be helping to shape these results.

A further potentially relevant development is that many large companies in the tech sector have invested in extensive and ambitious Inclusion and Diversity programmes. By way of example, take the way in which the tech giants have been in the forefront of setting public goals for gender and broader diversity. They’ve also been transparent about their performance in this area, reporting annually on their representation of women and progress against diversity goals – and being open about instances when that progress is not as fast as they would like.

Other staple items in large technology firms’ diversity programmes include wide-scale unconscious bias training, which is often combined with women’s leadership development programmes both to foster executive-level readiness and prepare women for the next stage at management levels. Some tech companies specifically engage men in their efforts to improve gender diversity, through initiatives such as male-focused allyship programmes and generous parental leave policies open to both mothers and fathers. These are part of tech firms’ drive to establish more inclusive policies generally, while also mitigating for many of the gender stereotypes and challenges that women often face associated with caring-giving breaks and responsibilities.

 

Many tech firms also make active, early and targeted efforts to bring more women into their workforce, in addition to partnering with not-for-profit organisations to attract more girls to take up technology-related academic disciplines and build early skills development in areas such as coding. Further trends in the sector include women-focused events and conferences geared towards community building and supporting the development of key expertise – in addition to recruitment events specifically targeted at women, and the establishment of Employee Resource Groups focused on women and a far broader range of diversity identities.

 

What’s clear overall is that there’s a strong and extensive focus on improving Inclusion and Diversity in tech, fuelled by the existing gender (and broader diversity) representation gaps and intensifying talent shortages, particularly around emerging technologies. The effects of these factors are supplemented by the heightened awareness of the impact of unconscious bias in AI and product development, along with an increased understanding of accessibility needs in product design and of the benefits that diversity brings in terms of spurring innovation.

 

Meanwhile, the sector-wide cost-cutting and headcount reductions that we noted earlier have inevitably had an impact on companies’ headcounts and budgets focused on Inclusion and Diversity. So there’s still a pressing need for the tech industry to accelerate its efforts to close the gender representation gap – and at the same time make sure that the hard-won gains already made are not lost.

31%

31% of women in tech are planning to change employers in the next 12 months, compared with a score of 25% for women working cross sector

PwC Inclusion Matters Insights, 2024
 

Particularly at a time when 31% of women in tech say they’re likely to change employers in the next 12 months, labour market forces are likely a factor here, given tech skills are in demand not just in their own industry but in all sectors. Even with some big players shrinking their workforce, highly skilled tech employees still have more job options right now than workers in other industries. This, combined with the tech industry’s trend towards setting public representation goals, means the fight for female talent with tech skills is very real. As businesses continue to evolve and respond to the impacts of digital disruption, it will be critical that their diversity efforts also include a “women in tech” angle. Indeed, we’re already seeing a growing move across many sectors towards setting up Women in Tech Networks, as has happened here at PwC.

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The next stepAmplifying the advantages for women

 

Certainly, attracting girls and women to pursue tech academic disciplines and work in the sector remains a major challenge for the technology industry. But taken together, PwC’s #InclusionMatters research combined with last year’s #EmpoweringWomen research findings do provide many encouraging insights that can be applied to help amplify the advantages for women of working in tech or digitally-focused roles. Put simply, our research suggests that women working in tech feel greater levels of inclusion and empowerment at work, a finding that bodes well both for the industry and women generally. Yet the fact remains that tech firms still need to do more to close the gender representation and equity gaps.

 

It is also important to recognise that the gender representation gaps in STEM are not just a problem for the tech industry to solve. In today’s world, millions of young women are still excluded from the workforce because they don’t have the means to pursue the appropriate levels of education or the opportunities to develop adequate technical or digital skills. True, we are seeing progress in private, public, and civil society stakeholders working together to bridge the gender and digital divide, such as PwC’s strategic upskilling collaboration with UNICEF and GenU. But much more needs to be done to increase exposure and upskilling to the tech industry and the associated opportunities they provide for women. In summary, everyone has a role to play in the call for action on gender equity, including when it comes to women in tech.

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NewsTechnology
[ June 19, 2024 by AFROWOMENInDigital 0 Comments ]

Women In Tech Stats: How The Industry Can Provide Equal Opportunities

The technology industry is synonymous with innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Yet, one area where it lags significantly is gender diversity. Women in tech still face numerous challenges and barriers, making it difficult to showcase their power and thrive.

Skillsoft, an online training platform, recently released a Women in Tech Report. It captured women’s experiences across various career stages, geographies and industries to uncover the disparities women face in tech roles and offer data, insight, and guidance to help make change a reality.

Despite progress, the gender gap in the tech industry persists. Recent statistics show that women comprise only about 25% of the tech workforce. This disparity is even more pronounced in leadership positions, where women hold only 11% of executive roles. These numbers highlight the uphill battle women continue to face in an industry dominated by men. Gender biases, lack of mentorship and limited access to professional development opportunities are just a few of the main challenges. These can hinder career growth and contribute to the high attrition rates among women in tech.

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© AFROWOMEN™ In Digital

Economic Implications

The gender gap in tech isn’t just a women’s issue; it has far-reaching economic and societal implications. Diverse teams are proven to be more innovative and productive. A lack of diversity can stifle creativity and limit a company’s ability to solve complex problems. Economically, closing the gender gap could add an estimated $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025, according to McKinsey & Company.

Actionable Steps For Change

Closing the gender gap in tech requires a multi-faceted approach. Companies need to implement robust diversity and inclusion policies, offer mentorship programs, and provide equal opportunities for professional development. Additionally, promoting flexible work arrangements can help retain female talent, especially those balancing work and family responsibilities.

  • Establish mentorship and sponsorship programs specifically designed to support women and other underrepresented groups.
  • Offer unbiased training and development opportunities—Regular workshops, courses and certifications accessible to all employees without discrimination.
  • Implement unbiased performance reviews and promotion processes—Ensure assessments are based solely on merit and contributions.
  • Create clear career progression paths—Allow all employees to understand potential growth within the organization.
  • Outline steps needed to achieve career advancement.
  • Actively encourage employees to pursue leadership and development programs.

This year, 77% of the women surveyed reported feeling somewhat satisfied or extremely satisfied at work. Although that’s a 2% decrease from last year, it’s still encouraging, especially as the tech sector is profoundly transforming. The top five factors influencing job satisfaction in the tech industry:

  • 74% Job security
  • 68% Employee benefits
  • 66% Work-life balance
  • 58% Managerial support
  • 54% Diversity, equity, and inclusion

“What I’ve seen more is that women move into tech often because they get involved in technical-related projects,” comments Orla Daly, CIO at Skillsoft. “So there is a business person that’s assigned to a technical project, or a transformation project, often, which obviously, is tech and business coming together. And through that experience, they see the impact that they can make, and they also get more exposure than maybe they had in the past. As a result of that, they then move on to tech or take on broader leadership roles. I’ve seen that happen quite a bit. But it’s been more because of the experience they’ve gained and the impact that they can see that they can make. And the fact is that we do have continued skill gaps within tech, and therefore, there is a broader set of opportunities that they can take advantage of.”

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Technology
[ June 15, 2024 by AFROWOMENInDigital 0 Comments ]

Harnessing Technology for Social Change: African Women Leading the Way

Technology is a powerful tool for social change, and African women are at the forefront of leveraging it to address various challenges. This blog highlights the innovative ways African women are using technology to create positive social impact.

Digital Health Solutions

Healthcare accessibility remains a critical issue in many parts of Africa. African women are developing digital health solutions to bridge this gap. For example, Dr. Ola Brown, founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria, uses technology to provide emergency medical services to remote areas. Learn more about her work at Flying Doctors Nigeria.

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E-Learning Platforms

Education is another area where technology is making a significant impact. Regina Honu, founder of Soronko Academy, provides coding and digital skills training to young girls and women in Ghana. Her e-learning platform is empowering the next generation of tech leaders. Discover more about Soronko Academy at Soronko Academy and Africa Digital International Academy (ADIA).

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Fintech Innovations

Financial inclusion is crucial for economic empowerment. African women are creating fintech solutions to provide affordable financial services. Christelle Kwizera, founder of Water Access Rwanda, combines fintech with water access solutions to improve livelihoods. Explore her work at Water Access Rwanda.

Renewable Energy Initiatives

Renewable energy is vital for sustainable development. Ify Malo, co-founder of Clean Tech Hub, promotes renewable energy solutions through training and advocacy. Her initiatives are driving the adoption of clean energy in Nigeria. Learn more at Clean Tech Hub.

Conclusion

African women are harnessing technology to drive social change and improve lives. Their innovative solutions are addressing critical challenges and creating opportunities for sustainable development. By supporting and promoting their efforts, we can amplify their impact and create a better future for all.