On 8thMarch, the world marked the 116th anniversary of International Women’s Day, a global moment dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements and advancing gender equality.
The day traces its origins from 1910 when German activist Clara Zetkin proposed the idea during the International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital.
What began as a movement advocating for women’s rights has since evolved into a global platform highlighting issues such as equality, economic participation, and the elimination of gender-based violence.
Today, another critical dimension has emerged in the conversation about women’s empowerment: digital inclusion.
Globally, women make up 49.7% of the population. In Uganda, they account for 51% according to the 2024 census, positioning them as key contributors to digital innovation and economic growth as users, content creators, entrepreneurs, and leaders.
Their participation is shaping both the national economy and the broader digital landscape, which has leveled ground.
Women are now leading innovations across sectors like health, agriculture, fintech, and e-commerce.
Notable examples include Phyllis Kyomuhendo, who developed the M-Scan portable ultrasound for early pregnancy diagnostics, Stellah Nakirijja, a Makerere University graduate who developed a solar-powered tick detector to help farmers reduce livestock losses and improve productivity, Sherifah Tumusiime, founder of Zimba Women, a digital platform supporting women entrepreneurs across Africa, and many others.
Beyond formal innovations, technology is also enabling everyday economic participation.
Many women run mobile money outlets, contributing to financial inclusion and local economic growth.
Others have ventured into online businesses, using social media platforms such as TikTok and WhatsApp to trade products and services, thereby improving their livelihoods.
Digital Empowerment has also amplified women’s visibility and achievements.
Just recently, Zaina Kigenyi, a content creator and makeup artist gained international attention when she set a Guinness World record for applying lipstick to nine people in just sixty seconds!
Have we forgotten Mama D’s Kitchen who gained widespread attention for her record-breaking longest cooking marathon in December 2023?
Without digital empowerment and online visibility, such achievements are hardly realized.
This success is partly attributed to women digital literacy capacity building initiatives, championed by both the government and private sector.
Training programs like Uganda Communications Commission’s (UCC) “Girls in ICT” initiative have seen over 3,000 women in the informal sector across 15 districts receive digital skills training, enabling them to grow their businesses through tools like mobile banking and e-commerce.
Thanks to the ministry of ICT and national guidance for rolling out digital training programs like coding camps and ICT program targeting young women and girls, to prepare them for tech related careers, thus minimizing the digital gender gap.
Telecom companies are also doing their best to ensure that women are digitally empowered.
Programs like Tech4Her initiative by the Airtel Africa Foundation trains women in areas like Linux Administration, Cybersecurity, Data analytics, SQL, DevOps and Ethical Hacking, hence making them digitally equipped to be innovative and solve digital and societal challenges while earning money and influence.
However, challenges remain. Globally, only 30% of female students pursue academic programs in Science and Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, with just 3% graduating annually.
In Uganda, only 19% of women use the internet compared to 27% of men, a visible gap that underscores the urgent need to equip more women with the skills necessary to thrive in a fast-evolving digital economy.
Bridging this gap is crucial, not just for equality, but for sustainable social, political and economic development as a country.
A woman skilled in mobile banking, cybersecurity, or data analytics is a key stakeholder in shaping the country’s progress.
Every digital wallet transaction, an innovation, or any online business managed by a woman demonstrates their transformative journey from the women of the past to today’s digitally empowered women, whose future is secure.
Sarwiyat Rahaman- Acting Enterprise Director at Airtel Uganda
