Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), held its 42nd Twitter chat on the 1st of September. The guess was Ibrahim Nuhu a Health Professional and Program Coordinator, CITAD. He discussed on Health Workers Efforts to Living New Normal Amidst Covid19.

He started by talking about the New Normal with regard to COVID 19 Pandemic is looking into the way health professionals are recovering from the depth of challenges imposed by the virus and regaining back to normal working conditions and how difficult the situation was and many health professionals suffer from one form or the other ranging from the fear of stigmatization and economic loss, also the strikes in which unions embark on amidst the need of their Services by the public in some states, it reached a point where health professionals are avoiding to show themselves to the public and the government were not showing rightful concerns over their status, which he said led to threats where families and friends are afraid of coming close to us especially after work.

He was asked that during the early days of this pandemic there were a lot of fears among the citizens, as a health worker how did you manage that with your family & friends? He said we tried to manage that through counselling and awareness to our families for them to know and understand the real situation and accept it.

He added that all the health professionals are giving the fullest to care, prevent, cure, rehabilitate the victims of COVID 19 but the living status of us is not being recognized by the authorities, but now as we begin to resume to our normal life the situation is changing from the side of health workers and the government at all levels despite the challenges on ground.

He was asked on what measures they are putting in place to ensure the safety of their colleagues and general public. He said The measures they take are using the guidelines protocols given by NCDC like social distancing, using protective devices and frequent hand washing to avoid cross infection of the virus and with the New Normal they are advocating for wages increase, provision of PPE from side of the government and favorable working environment so as to get motivated and face the challenges squarely, Also they equally request government to recruit more health professionals in order to breech the gap of those we lost during the pandemic.

In conclusion, he recommended that, People should always abide by the NCDC protocols like using face marks in public spaces, washing hands frequently and Health workers should also use PPE at work and take good care of their clients with no discrimination.

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), in partnership with Association for Progressive Communication (APC) has concluded a ten-day training on digital inclusion for women via Zoom platform.

In a statement Thursday by Maryam Haruna, CITAD’s Programme Officer, the training, tagged Bauchi Feminist Internet School was aimed at bridging the gender digital divide in the country.

She explained that the programme, which was the second edition, offered intensive training on various topics regarding access to internet governance and policy making in the arena from the perspective.

According to Miss Haruna, part of the training objectives was also for the beneficiaries to stepdown what they had learned in the school to at least 10 other persons, whom 70% should be female gender.

” The participants will also take part in social media campaign to support the advocacy for a national inclusion agenda. They will also undertake advocacy visits to relevant stakeholders to solicit their support for the national digital inclusion agenda developed by CITAD,” the statement reads in part.

She added that the training, which started on August 3 and ended on August 3,drew at least 25 participants from different states in Nigeria including Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa and Kano, adding that the participants were journalists, writers, gender advocates, as well active social media users.

She explained that the first edition of the school was conducted in April 2019 in Bauchi state, adding that the programme derived its name of Bauchi Feminist Internet School because it started in the state.

“Three main session were taught during the training, including African Declaration of Internet Rights and Freedom, Digital Right and Feminist internet.

By Yakubu Salisu, Kano

Centre for Information Technology (CITAD), a Kano based Nongovernmental body (NGO), with Support from Association for Progressive Communication (APC) on Thursday, concluded a ten days (10) training to produce digital inclusion champions who will join the campaign for bridging gender digital divide in the country.

The training which happens to be the second edition of its Bauchi Feminist Internet School held on Zoom App were about twenty five (25) participants drawn from Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa and Kano were trained and cuts across different fields of endeavors such as journalists, writers, gender advocates, as well active social media users.

During the 10 days training, participants were intensively trained on various topics regarding access to internet, governance and policy making in the arena from the perspective with beneficiaries of the training expected to stepdown what they have learned in the school to at least 10 other persons, whom 70% should be of the female gender.

Furthermore, they are also to take part in social media campaign to support the advocacy for a national inclusion agenda as well as, undertake advocacy visits to relevant stakeholders to solicit their support for the national digital inclusion agenda developed by CITAD.

The training which made up of three (3) session discussed on; African Declaration of Internet Rights and Freedom, Digital Right Advocacy as well as well as Feminist Internet.

The first edition of the school was conducted in April 2019 in Bauchi state where it derived its name of Bauchi Feminist Internet School.

03^th-13^th August, 2020

Bauchi Feminist Internet School is a programme initiated by Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from Association for Progressive Communication (APC) with the main purpose of producing digital inclusion champions who will join the campaign for bridging gender digital divide in the country. It offered intensive training on various topics regarding access to internet governance and policy making in the arena from the perspective. The first edition of the school was conducted in April 2019 in Bauchi state where it derived it name of Bauchi Feminist Internet School. The August BaFIS is therefore the second edition of the programme.

It was part of the training objectives for the beneficiaries to:

1. Stepdown what they have learned in the school to at least 10 other persons, whom 70% should be of the female gender.
2. Take part in social media campaign to support the advocacy for a national inclusion agenda.
3. Undertake advocacy visits to relevant stakeholders to solicit their support for the national digital inclusion agenda developed by CITAD.

The School drew at least 25 participants from different states in Nigeria including Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa and Kano. The participants were journalists, writers, gender advocates, as well active social media users.

Three main session were taught during the training including:

1. African Declaration of Internet Rights and Freedom,
2. Digital Right Advocacy,
3. Feminist Internet.
4. Training Expectation:

One of the key expectations is learning how to use the internet more effectively, with a view of carrying women along, as they have been left behind in this part of the country. Thus, most of the participants stated that they expected to have increased capacity on use of internet and technology in their campaign for women and girls’ rights in Nigeria and even beyond.  Some of the participants also stated that they expected to develop a network of people with common goal of bridging gender gap.  Some said that they expected a lot to be taught concerning the use of internet especially from the feminist perspectives. Another expectation as stated by one respondent was to be heavily impacted on the various concept of feminism as regards to ICT and most especially internet. She wrote, “I want to know how to break this shackle of generational ignorance women have on internet and push them towards a better understanding and utilizing of internet. I want to learn how to become an independent woman. Learning the basis of feminism.”

1. What to Learn

The main skills the participants expected to learn more about was feminism, the application of feminism in internet advocacy and campaign, learn how to go about educating other male and female feminists on how to advocate for feminist internet. Also learn how to teach women to stand for their rights. They also stated their expectation to learn more on Digital rights, gender balance, concept of non-discrimination. Expect after the training to have a well-built capacity on the concept of feminist internet.

Participants Feedback:

1. “I want to say big thank you to this great opportunity. I really learned a lot from this programme. It was indeed an Eye opener to me. I also thanked Mark Nuhu for informing me about this opportunity. Above all, thank you to our able host Maryam, you have been great” – Doshima Priscilla Hemen.
2. “The programme is very satisfactory and I haver learned a lot. As an advocate, you need to learn these skills that were taught here, like understanding what the internet is meant for and know your right as an advocate as well as how to protect the right of others. Gender violence and other forms of cybercrime is so prevalent these days and if you don’t know your rights, how do you protect it? I have also become very clear with what exactly stakeholder is and how to identify key ones from the course and even the difference between legislation and policy. The class works were really helpful, it made me do a lot of researches on different areas. Thanks to CITAD for this opportunity.” – Safiyya Muhammad Daba.
3. “I’m so pleased with this opportunity because I have learned a lot about digital rights and freedom bill that was supposed to be passed by the National Assembly which has been not passed, I have also learned that it is our responsibility as advocates to keep pushing for it. I already knew that women are lacking behind in using the internet, but now I have an idea how to contribute in bridging gender digital gap in the country. I have also understood that girls and women can use the internet to equip and enhance themselves instead of just using it for entertainment. As a user now, I understand my rights better and I’m now better prepared.”- Zainab Musa Yahya.

1. “For me what, apart from the topics that were treated which I have learned a lot, what became outstanding to me also is the Zoom platform itself. This training took some time to teach us how to interact with the zoom platform and I have seen how it’s more efficient compare to other platforms we used in other forms of online training. A big thank you to CITAD for this.” – Sadiya Murtala.
2. “I have really learned a lot from CITAD. I look forward to more opportunities from CITAD. Thank you” – Mark Nuhu.
3. “This is training has really been impacting. One of the things I have learned is that one must become physical before he can contribute, you can use your social media to advocate for women digital inclusion. Another thing I learned is the digital rights and how to protect it, initially I don’t know them but as a result of this training, now I do. And the facilitators are all amazing, they really did their best in ensuring that we understood very well. Thank you to CITAD and the facilitators.” – Patience Danladi Pabang.

Facilitators

1. Yunusa Yau
2. Boye Adegoke
3. Remmy Nneke
4. Maryam Ado Haruna

Participants:

1. Abubakar Modu Yerima
2. Adam Auwal Dakata
3. Amina Mubarak Ahmad
4. Amina Musa Balteh
5. Amira Galadima Soba
6. Awwal Dahiru
7. Beeve Hua
8. Endurance Ed’james
9. Farida Haruna Bello
10. Fatima Kabir Umar
11. Halima Muktar Abubakar
12. Halima Suleiman Sani
13. Hemen Dooshima Priscilla
14. Linda Uchenna Ugwueze
15. Mark Nuhu Mabudi
16. Mary Ann Emmanuel
17. Maryam Abubakar
18. Pebang Danladi Wammar
19. Rukaiya Ahmed Ganga
20. Sadiya Murtala
21. Safiyya Muhammad Ali-Daba
22. Vihishima Sylvester Terlumun
23. Zainab Musa Yahaya
24. Zainab Nasir
25. Zainab Shafi’u Mustapha