GIZ/DTC Nigeria incorporates Gender Transformative Approaches with a special focus on women and youth across all its interventions. Gender Transformative Approaches (GTA) are strategies aimed at addressing and challenging gender inequalities by transforming harmful gender norms and power imbalances. The promotion of the Rights, Roles and Representation of women underpins GIZ/DTC Nigeria’s strategies in line with the BMZ’s Feminist Development Policy
Some gender transformative approaches used in DTC Nigeria include sessions on ‘Gender and Inclusion Perspectives’ as part of its DIH Kick-off Workshop and Digital Literacy Policy Dialogues in Lagos, Abuja and Kano attended by for government agencies, partners, innovation ecosystem actors, NGOs and MSMEs to engage a captive audience of men in decision-making roles in discussions about gender equality, inclusion and women’s rights in accessing the digital economy.
DTC Nigeria drives the economic empowerment for women through skills development training programs that equip women with skills to leverage on digital skills to drive their business and ultimately income through trainings such as Digital Optimization Workshops for 300 women across Abuja, Lagos & Kano. 6000 youth across Nigeria were also trained on work-ready digital skills with in-person and online trainings to ensure women and youth, regardless of the remoteness of their location in Nigeria were able to gain relevant digital skills for work.
DTC Nigeria has developed the Digital Skills for Entrepreneurs (DSE) with a focus on women & youth led businesses by integrating gender-sensitive content into the curricula that challenge traditional gender roles and promote gender equality and inclusion. This also extends to gender sensitive media representation to promote positive images of women and girls, and challenge stereotypes and harmful gender norms
Within the development of the Training of Trainers and Mentors for the DSE which seeks to capacitate over 800 women & youth leading MSMEs in Nigeria on the adoption of digital tools for business, a gender balance was required for participating organisations and participants were trained on gender-sensitive pedagogy, ensuring they can adequately support both women and men in the adoption of digital tools for their businesses. Across DTC Nigeria’s interventions all spaces used are selected with women’s safety, accessibility and child-friendliness in mind.
DTC Nigeria collects and analyses data disaggregated by gender to monitor the impact of programs on both men and women. We operate feedback mechanisms that allow men, women and girls to express their needs and experiences, ensuring that programs remain responsive and inclusive.
By adopting these gender transformative approaches, DTC Nigeria contributes to the reduction of gender inequalities, empowers women and supports government agencies, partners, MSMEs and ecosystem enablers alike on their journey towards more gender transformative policies, services, organisations, digital economy and ultimately Nigeria.
