Our overall goal is to leverage digital technology to facilitate women’s active participation in public discourse, which should translate into substantive response by local government to women’s specific development priorities.

Women Lens Africa’s work contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5, target 5.5 which is to “Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.”

Women are underrepresented and underserved in local governance, which calls for empowering women to advocate for their inclusion and meaningful participation in the development procedures. Local governments influence policies on national development, provide basic social services, play a critical role in grassroot development, and is the most accessible level of government where citizens should exercise their right to participate in public processes and demand for accountability.

Ultimately, women’s effective participation in local governance using digital technologies should reflect in their ability to access information online, express themselves, and use electronic government services. In the long term, the effective participation of women in local governance decision making processes should result in the passing of gender inclusive policies, in gender-sensitive decision-making procedures, and gender-responsive social service delivery.