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