Deadline: 25 April 2017
DefendDefenders has announced Safe Sister: The East African Women’s Digital Safety Fellowship, a program for tech-savvy women working in the human rights and media movement in East Africa. Through a combination of self-study, tool practice, mentorship, workshops, peer sharing, and small grants, this cohort of technologists will join forces to take on today’s digital challenges of women human rights defenders.
Safe Sister is generously made possible by Bread for the World and Internews. Successful fellows will have their costs of participation covered by DefendDefenders and the opportunity to bid for small grants later in the program.
It’s hard enough being a human rights defender without having to worry about our technology betraying us. It’s not possible to expect everybody to keep up with the steps necessary to avoid viruses, loss of important files, spying, hacking, blackmail, account hijacking, and other unfun digital emergencies. On top of that, women human rights defenders especially face cyber-harassment and bullying online. East Africa needs a league of women technologists working within civil society who can dispense appropriate advice and support for people facing these high-tech challenges. And that’s exactly what is hoped to create with Safe Sister!
Eligibility Criteria
Women technologists working in the human rights and media field in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Burundi.
Invited are the people who:
- Are technology power-users and are quick to learn and understand technical concepts
- Are the person colleagues turn to for ICT assistance
- Have an existing interest in Digital Safety and Security
- Have some formal education or comparable experience in ICT or work largely in the electronic medium
- Working in the human rights and/or journalism field with strong links to communities who are digitally at-risk.
- Fellows should be willing to commit at least 3 hours a week throughout May 2017 for self-studying materials and tools we will provide and to prepare training and support sessions. They should also be available for 1 week at the beginning of June 2017 to attend a program workshop.
How to Apply
Interested applicants must submit applications online via given website.
For more information, please visit The East African Women’s Digital Safety Fellowship.
