MONICA KAYOMBO, Lusaka
ZAMBIA Social Media Forum (ZAMSOF) and Media Initiative for Women in Zambia (MIWOZ) have commended CIVICUS Alliance and Digital Democracy Initiative for supporting the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs0, Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and journalists by supporting their training in digital safety.
Speaking on Thursday during the one day training, ZAMSOF national coordinator Gershom Kabaso said the training on securer communication tools under the “Digital Advocacy for Democracy in Zambia’ is timely as it empowers the stakeholders to help them become effective in their advocacy journey.
He said the training will help in strengthening the abilities of the CSOs, HRDs and journalists to safely and effectively engage in civic and democratic work.
“The goal of this project is clear: to empower CSOs and HRDs for enhanced digital advocacy and improved participation in Zambia’s democracy,’’ he said.
He said the two implementing partners (ZAMSOF and MIWOZ) of the project hoped to achieve greater participation of CSOs and HRDs in civic digital activism.
He said other expectations were that the participants would have increased knowledge and appreciation of digital civic engagement processes; and have stronger digital resilience among civil society actors.
“As we all know, civic space in many parts of the Global South is shrinking. Many of us face both physical and digital threats, while restrictive laws such as the Cybersecurity and Cybercrimes Act and the Public Order Act continue to make our work even more difficult. This training is one of the ways we are responding to these realities,’’ Mr Kabaso said.
Through the Digital Advocacy for Democracy in Zambia project, the two Organisations support over 100 CSOs and HRDs to build the skills and confidence to use digital tools securely, to protect themselves, and to amplify their voices in defense of freedom of expression, association, and democratic participation.
Mr Kabaso commended CIVICUS Alliance, for their invaluable support and solidarity.
He said CIVICUS Alliance presence reminds ZAMSOF and MIWOZ their struggles are shared, and that their voices are stronger when they stand united.
Mr Kabaso said the workshop was not only about learning practical tools and techniques but was also about building digital resilience.
He said the skills gained by the participants would enhance the capabilities of CSOs, HRDs and journalists in their advocacy while ensuring that they do it effectively and safely.
Mr Kabaso encouraged the participants to make the most of the training, share their experiences and strengthen their networks.
“Together, we can ensure that the voices of civil society remain strong, even in the face of shrinking space’’, Mr Kabaso said.
