Breaking Records: Empowering Women through Digital Security Campaigns in Angola and DRC

For the past year, GIF’s Regional Partner – Co-Creation Hub, had some challenges in their regional advocacy efforts. Their aim was to raise digital security awareness, particularly among women in Western and Central Africa, but they faced limited results in reaching a regional audience due to language barriers. Recognizing the need for a change, they have made a strategic shift – they decided to focus on local partners in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), empowering them to run tailored digital security campaigns. The outcome was unprecedented engagement, with the local partner in Angola recording 20,000 interactions and the local partner in DRC reaching 50,000 radio listeners.

In Angola, the local partner launched the campaign “Digital Safety for Women Now,” placing banners in offices and public spaces to show the importance of digital security for women. This gender-sensitive campaign not only raised awareness but also encouraged women to actively participate in digital safety discussions. The campaign recorded 20,000 interactions, marking its significant impact on the community.

Meanwhile, in the DRC, the local partner launched a radio show that sets new standards for audience engagement. The program featured a live call-in segment, allowing listeners to send SMS messages with questions and comments on digital security issues. This interactive format fostered a dynamic dialogue between the community and the GIF local partner’s experts. During one notable broadcast, the Executive Director of Rudi International addressed various digital security questions.

At the core of the DRC campaign was a powerful testimony. A journalist who survived online gender-based violence shared her story and offered practical tips on overcoming such challenges. Her firsthand experience resonated deeply with listeners, many of whom expressed gratitude for the support and guidance provided. The campaign reached an impressive 50,000 radio listeners.

“These various programs had a huge impact. Since then, we have been recognized as an outstanding organization thanks to the work we are doing. People have started to send us emails, messages, and questions on digital security issues, identifying us as the go-to entity whenever they face online issues,” explains Arsene Tungali, Executive Director and co-founder of Rudi International.

The success of these campaigns in Angola and the DRC showed that localized, gender-sensitive approaches are important in promoting digital security awareness and building resilient communities. The success of these initiatives demonstrates the effectiveness of leveraging local knowledge and addressing community-specific needs to reach wider audiences and foster a safer digital environment for women.