Africa Internet Governance Forum 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving digital age, meaningful inclusion remains a cornerstone of sustainable development. Yet, across many African countries, women, youth, and marginalized communities continue to face significant barriers to fully participating in and benefiting from digital opportunities. As digital policies, technologies, and governance frameworks advance, ensuring that no one is left behind becomes both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity.

This interactive session, titled “Strengthening Digital Inclusion: Empowering Women, Youth, and Marginalized Communities for Enhanced Digital Cooperation,” aims to bring together diverse stakeholders from across the African digital ecosystem to reflect on what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next. Hosted by the Tanzania Hubs Network (THN) in collaboration with GIZ, and held on the sidelines of the Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) 2025, this workshop is designed to foster multi-stakeholder learning, align efforts with international frameworks, and drive collective action.

The session aligns with the AfIGF 2025 sub-theme of Enhancing Digital Cooperation, and connects deeply with global agendas such as the Global Digital Compact (GDC), WSIS+20, the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on ICTs, and SDGs 2030—especially SDG 5: Gender Equality. Participants will explore how to localize and implement these global frameworks in practical, context-driven ways that reflect Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities.

This two-hour session will begin with lightning talks—three short, impactful presentations showcasing real-world initiatives that have successfully empowered women, youth, and/or marginalized groups in Tanzania’s digital space. These will serve to spark inspiration and lay the foundation for deeper engagement.

The core of the session will take the form of a World Café format, allowing small groups to explore key questions around:
Challenges to digital inclusion and trust
Promising models and emerging best practices
Opportunities for cross-sector alignment and collaboration
Concrete actions to advance SDG 5 and other global goals through inclusive digital ecosystems

Each table will be facilitated by an experienced moderator and guided by thematic prompts. Outcomes will be shared in a plenary wrap-up session, where tables will present key takeaways and suggestions for policy, practice, and partnership.

Ultimately, this session is about more than dialogue—it’s about building community, strengthening local-global linkages, and identifying practical strategies for action. By convening a curated group of up to 30 implementation-level actors from innovation hubs, government agencies, academia, private sector, CSOs, and international development organizations this workshop aims to co-create a roadmap toward a more inclusive, equitable, and collaborative digital future for Africa.