In a significant move to bridge the digital gender divide, the Tanzanian government and Germany have signed an implementation agreement for the Tanzania Digital Transformation Centre (DTC Tanzania). The project, signed today in Dar es Salaam, aims to actively promote the participation of women and girls in the digital economy through cutting-edge technology.
“This agreement marks a fresh page in Tanzania-Germany collaboration to ensure women and girls get equal opportunities to participate and benefit from digital technology development,” Alburnoor said.
He emphasized that the project is fully aligned with national blueprints, including the Tanzania Development Vision 2050, the 2023 National Gender and Women Development Policy, and the 2024–2034 Digital Economy Strategy.
“Digital technologies have become a crucial tool in changing how citizens learn, work, access services, and engage in development activities." he said
" The government sees the imperative of ensuring women and girls are not left behind in this transformation, but become part of the workforce and innovators of technology driving national progress,” Alburnoor added.
The DTC Tanzania project will focus on developing locally designed digital solutions while fostering an inclusive digital economy. Alburnoor outlined a three-pronged implementation strategy:
- policy & strategy: Developing a ministerial strategy to strengthen technology-focused gender equality, addressing both opportunities and challenges in the digital space.
- Capacity building: Training 200 representatives from government and non-governmental institutions to integrate digital methodologies into their daily operations.
- Widespread Impact: Reaching an estimated 100,000 Tanzanians with digital solutions that advance gender equality and human rights.
On the German side, Anne Hahn, the Resident Director of GIZ Tanzania, highlighted ongoing preparations to establish a Digital Fabrication Lab and a Makerspace technology innovation hub, to be hosted at the Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organisation (TIRDO).
“These centers will provide women and girls with hands-on training in emerging technologies, access to advanced digital equipment, and participation in tech innovation that can generate employment and increase income,” Hahn stated.
She underscored the project’s transformative goal: “Our aim is to enable women and girls to transition from being mere technology consumers to becoming innovators, inventors, and tech entrepreneurs who will make significant contributions to Tanzania’s digital economy.”
The agreement is seen as a catalyst for boosting women’s participation in the technology sector and advancing the national agenda of building an inclusive digital economy that leaves no one behind. Its success is predicated on continued broad collaboration with public institutions, NGOs, academia, research bodies, innovation hubs, and the private sector.
The partnership aspires to enable Tanzania to build a society that equitably benefits from technological advancement while strengthening the inclusion of women and other special groups in socio-economic development activities.