Welcome to Issue #15 of TAIS, where every Friday we spotlight visionary changemakers reshaping Africa’s tech, data, and AI landscape, one breakthrough at a time.
In today's issue, we feature Myriam Ali Halidou, a Nigerien digital inclusion strategist whose work as Gender and Digitalization Focal Point at UN Women Niger is reshaping how we think about technology's role in advancing gender equality across Africa.
Myriam Ali Halidou| Gender and Digitalization Focal Point | STEM Integration, Digital Inclusion and Gender mainstreaming| Exposition and presentation of UN Women programs(Side event)
Myriam's approach transforms women and girls from passive recipients of technology into active creators of digital solutions. Her recent initiatives, including training 150 girls in coding and launching Niger's first Digital Gender Innovation Challenge, offer compelling evidence that sustainable change happens when local insight meets strategic innovation.
With a background in communications and consumer psychology, Myriam has developed a sophisticated understanding of how digital tools can amplify women's economic potential. Her work during Niger's recent socio-political crisis, where the Girls4Peace campaign generated over 2.1 million impressions in 72 hours, demonstrates the power of strategic digital advocacy in moments of national uncertainty.
Her story reveals both the immense possibilities and practical realities of building inclusive digital ecosystems across the continent.
Genesis & Personal Journey
Q: What experiences or influences led you to focus on gender equality and digital inclusion in your career?
A:I have always had a passion for digital innovation and technology… My naturally curious mind led me to explore how tech could be used creatively in everyday life and that's where the spark truly began for me. My interest in gender equality and digital inclusion has been shaped by both personal experiences and my professional journey, particularly through firsthand exposure to how digitalization can transform lives, especially for women.
Field mission Zinder( Meeting with rural women post interview process) The mission aimed to gather insights and testimonies from women's groups in villages across Zinder, Niger.
A pivotal moment was during a field trip in Niger, somewhere in the southeastern part of Niger (Zinder) where I worked on a digital project post covid-19; a challenging circumstance that impacted the world, I was able to interact with different communities in the rural areas, and that’s when I realized how the marginalized communities had limited access to technology and resources; through that experience my passion for digital inclusion deepened, as I was able to understand that if such communities were able to gain the necessary tools and resources they would easily access opportunities, and especially in a community where women are determined and eager to excel in their small businesses/ occupations. I then realized this was more than a want but a need. Since then, my focus has been on initiatives that promote adaptable digital tools and digital literacy that prioritize on the unheard, under presented, women and girls.
Q: What advice would you offer to individuals passionate about promoting gender equality in the digital space?
A: I always like to say: if it’s your passion, you won’t want to stop- you will keep thriving, growing and becoming the best version of yourself. It’s a learning process, and the digital space has so much to offer; Start on your own and build a community of engaged people that will help you reach your goals!
Q: What legacy do you hope to leave in the field of digital inclusion and gender equality, and what is your vision for the future?
A: I envision a world where no girl or woman is left behind; I hope to leave a legacy where girls and woman are thriving and become pioneers in the digital space. I want to be a prime example that digitalization and technology is far from ‘just’ using tools – but creating an impact especially in our community. I want my legacy to be a shift in mindset, my vision is a future where a girl in a remote village can launch an app that solves a local problem, participate in global conversations, and shape policy, all because someone believed in her digital potential – that’s the future I envision.
Editorial Commentary: Myriam's journey illustrates how personal encounters with digital inequality can catalyze professional focus and advocacy. Her experience in Zinder during the post-COVID period highlights a recurring theme among digital inclusion practitioners: the transformative power of witnessing firsthand how technology gaps affect marginalized communities.
This account resonates with broader conversations happening across development circles about the role of digital tools in economic empowerment, particularly for women in rural areas. The timing of her field experience during a period when digital solutions became essential for maintaining basic services, likely provided unique insights into both the potential and limitations of technology adoption in resource-constrained environments.
What stands out in her responses is the evolution from general interest in technology to specific advocacy for "the unheard, under presented, women and girls." This progression from curiosity to targeted action reflects a pattern seen among many practitioners who discover their niche through direct community engagement rather than theoretical study.
Building on this foundation, her vision of girls in remote villages launching apps and participating in global conversations speaks to an increasingly common aspiration in digital development work: not just providing access to existing technologies, but fostering local innovation and global connectivity. Whether this vision can be realized at scale remains an open question, but her commitment to "building community" suggests an understanding that sustainable change requires collaborative effort beyond individual passion.
This emphasis on mindset shift over tool provision indicates awareness of implementation challenges that have plagued many digital inclusion initiatives. Her background appears to inform an approach that considers behavioral and psychological factors alongside technical solutions, a perspective that could prove valuable as the field continues to grapple with adoption and sustainability challenges.
Institutional Impact & Strategy
Q: As the Gender and Digitalization Focal Point, what are your primary responsibilities, and how do they contribute to UN Women's mission?
A: In a region where digital access and digital literacy remains a challenge, my work consists of adapting a digital transformation tool in sight of working towards the digital gender barrier. As a Gender and Digitalization Focal Point for UN Women in Niger, my primary responsibility is ensuring the integration of gender mainstreaming into digital initiatives, promoting digital inclusion for girls and women. I coordinate initiatives/programs that provide access and digital literacy for women and girls by collaborating with key actors in the field. I engage with local partners (private sector), government stakeholders, civil society actors to advocate and promote adaptable, accessible and equitable digital spaces and services for women and girls.
UN Women X Digital Niger Initiative March 2023 (a special event to mark International Women's Day under the theme “Investing in women: accelerating the pace”.)
As a digital advocate, my role has consisted in training various civil society members on different digital project tools and ensuring their projects are in line with UN Women digital and communication policies and regulations.
My work also focuses on monitoring key trends in the digital sphere, ensuring our policies and regulations are taken into consideration whilst innovating; by collecting data such as the needs of our beneficiaries which allows us to integrate a gender digital approach in our programs and policies.
Q: How do you engage with policymakers to advocate for gender-sensitive digital policies, and what successes have you achieved in this area?
A: My role is centered around advocating for the integration of gender in digital initiatives specifically As the Digital and Gender Focal Point at UN Women (UNW), my role has centered around advocating for the integration of gender equality considerations within global and national digital policies. We recognize that digital transformation has the potential to either bridge or deepen existing gender inequalities, which is why our approach has been to ensure that gender-responsive strategies are embedded in all digital initiatives.
Introducing UN Women's digital procedures and social media communication strategies to Civil Society Organizations selected for the WPHF in Niger.
To achieve this, I work closely with ministries and government bodies that are actively shaping digital transformation agendas. Key to this success has been our collaboration with ministries involved in digital, communications, and innovation, ensuring that women and marginalized groups are central to national digital strategies.
Q: What role do collaborations with other organizations or stakeholders play in advancing your digital inclusion initiatives?
A: Collaborations with various stakeholders have been crucial whilst developing initiatives, especially for the progression of digital rights, digital inclusion and advocacy; the initiation of digital projects of UN Women allowed visibility on key issues such as the gender digital gap and limited access to resources , led to the effective collaboration with private sector, demonstrating a great engagement, that also provided successful collaboration with the Ministry of ICT , and the National Agency for the Information Society (ANSI) to collaborate on a regional digital initiative , specially aimed at providing digital literacy to designed for women and girls.
Editorial Commentary: Myriam's role description reveals the complexity of implementing gender-focused digital initiatives within existing institutional frameworks. Her work demonstrates how international organizations must navigate between their advocacy mandates and the practical realities of government partnerships.
This navigation becomes particularly evident in her collaboration with Niger's Ministry of ICT and ANSI, which represents a strategic approach to sustainable impact. Rather than operating parallel programs, UN Women appears to be working within national systems, an approach that can be more challenging to implement but potentially more lasting in effect.
Her emphasis on "gender mainstreaming" and ensuring policies are "taken into consideration whilst innovating" suggests awareness of a common challenge in development work: how to integrate social priorities into technical initiatives that are often designed without these considerations in mind. This challenge is compounded by the dual focus on direct service delivery (providing digital literacy training) and policy influence (working with ministries on national digital strategies).
The multi-level approach she describes reflects recognition that both immediate needs and systemic barriers must be addressed simultaneously. This combination of practical programming and advocacy work requires different skill sets and relationship-building approaches, making her role particularly complex.
What's notable in her responses is the attention to data collection and monitoring trends, suggesting an evidence-based approach to programming that could help demonstrate impact to both beneficiaries and government partners. The success of such initiatives often depends on this kind of documentation, particularly when working to influence policy at national levels.
Equally significant is her role in training civil society members on digital tools while ensuring alignment with UN Women policies. This indicates the organization's recognition that sustainable change requires building local capacity rather than maintaining dependency on international support.
Program Design & Execution
Q: Can you share some of the STEM integration projects you've led or been involved in, and their impact on communities?
A: I have had the opportunity to lead the AGCCI (African Girls Can Code Initiative) regional project that was launched in Niger in 2022; To date, the AGCCI programme has trained 150 girls in Niger. This initiative has been a successful programme that aims to bridge the digital gender gap and encourage young girls into STEM. Through this programme the trained girls have gained visibility and access to various opportunities at the global level.
Picture 1: Launch of the training during the International Girls in ICT Day in collaboration with NFPA and Digital Niger. Picture 2: Launch of the AGCCI 2nd Phase Coding Camp- Niamey, Niger. Picture 3: AGCCI 3rd Phase coding camp -Maradi-Niger
In my current role, I had the privilege of initiating my first digital initiative ‘Digital Gender Innovative Challenge-DGIC’ that was a first in Niger, an innovative competition that brought skills from different regions and diverse backgrounds to participate in a national competition, the initiative brought to light many innovative solutions adapted to the SDGs and local communities in Niger.
During the socio-political crisis, I have had the chance to create an initiative in collaboration Digital Niger on the initiative ‘Girls4Peace’ which successfully trained 30 peace ambassadors and digital advocates in the initiative provided high visibility of over +2.100.000 Impressions in 72 hours on social networks and websites, this was a pivotal moment which led to high visibility and awareness on emerging issues.
Q: Could you highlight a success story where your efforts significantly improved digital access or literacy for a marginalized group?
A: One powerful success story came from our first Digital Gender Innovation Challenge, where we received 83 project submissions from young women across Niger. Among the top five selected was a standout project called "Fitilia" which means lamp in Hausa. The project was developed by a young woman who later participated in the "Appui aux initiatives de promotion et défense des droits des femmes et des filles" programme, supported by the Spotlight Initiative in collaboration with UN Women and the NGO FAD Niger.
Launch of the 'Digital Gender Innovation Challenge' April 2023 (Presentation of winners)
Her project, focused on ending violence against women and girls, was one of 18 initiatives selected for further support. What made this moment remarkable was seeing how the initial digital challenge equipped her with the skills and platform to create a meaningful, locally relevant innovation that gained visibility and recognition from key partners and stakeholders.
Q: How do you assess the effectiveness of your programs in promoting gender equality through digital means?
A: While developing digital tools and initiatives is essential, it is equally important to evaluate their impact. After each campaign or programme, we prioritize the use of measurable indicators to assess effectiveness. To do this, we establish comprehensive and reliable evaluation tools and apply analytical approaches to track key performance indicators (KPIs), such as user demographics, engagement rates, and regional reach. This data allows us to identify gaps, adapt future interventions, and tailor solutions more effectively. Additionally, we conduct pre- and post-programme surveys to measure changes in participants’ knowledge, confidence, and digital skills. These evaluation methods not only provide valuable feedback but also help us continuously refine our programmes to ensure they remain impactful and relevant.
Editorial Commentary: Myriam's work demonstrates how digital inclusion programs can create pathways for participants to move from skill-building to innovation and advocacy. The progression from the African Girls Can Code Initiative to the Digital Gender Innovation Challenge shows an intentional scaffolding approach, each program building on previous experiences and capabilities.
This strategic sequencing becomes particularly meaningful when considering the 83 submissions to the Digital Gender Innovation Challenge, which represent significant engagement, particularly considering the barriers that often prevent women from participating in formal competitions. The success of projects like "Fitilia" illustrates how locally-relevant innovations can emerge when participants are given both technical skills and platforms to address community challenges.
Beyond idea generation, the connection between the innovation challenge and subsequent funding opportunities through the Spotlight Initiative suggests strategic thinking about sustainability. Rather than ending with brainstorming sessions, the program creates pathways for participants to access resources needed for implementation, addressing a common gap in innovation programming where good ideas die for lack of follow-up support.
Her emphasis on measurement and evaluation, including pre- and post-program surveys, indicates recognition that good intentions aren't enough. The focus on tracking participant progression and program adaptation based on data suggests a commitment to continuous improvement that's often missing in development initiatives, where success is sometimes measured more by activities completed than outcomes achieved.
The rapid social media impact during the socio-political crisis (2.1 million impressions in 72 hours) demonstrates how digital platforms can amplify voices and messages when content resonates with audiences. This kind of visibility can be particularly valuable for marginalized groups who may have limited access to traditional media channels.
Perhaps most significantly, what emerges from her account is the integration of different program elements, coding skills, innovation challenges, peace advocacy, and policy influence rather than treating these as separate initiatives. This holistic approach may be more effective at creating lasting change than single-purpose programs, though it also requires more complex coordination and evaluation.
Challenges & Adaptive Strategies
Q: What are the main challenges you've encountered in promoting digital inclusion, especially among women and girls, and how have you addressed them?
A: As a digital advocate, I believe that every girl should have access to basic digital tools and technology. This is essential for effective training and meaningful participation in the digital world. However, many women and girls still lack fundamental digital skills, and the majority, especially in rural areas, have little to no access to technology. This gap makes it challenging to implement and sustain digital initiatives where they are most needed.
Q: What trends do you foresee in the intersection of gender and digital technology in Africa over the next decade?
A: Over the next decade, I envision a continent where innovation knows no gender, where every girl with an idea has the tools to build it, and every woman has a seat at the digital table. A future where Africa not only embraces its full potential, but leads empowered, connected, and inclusive.
'Semaine Du Numerique' /Digital Week’ _ April 2020 Niger Presentation of the AGCCI (African Girls Can Code Initiative) by Alumni's.
I hope to see more girls and women who have access to digital tools and platforms; expecting a rise in women led projects, more women entrepreneurs; that are digital, and technology based. I also hope that there will be a greater focus on the utilization of artificial intelligence tools, that are more adapted to rural women and girls, making it easier to have access to digital tools and technology. Such aspirations and innovation cannot take place without strong advocacy and mobilisation of key stakeholders; therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness, emerge in more policies aimed at promoting equal participation in digital spaces ensuring online safety; this is a collective effort that align with Africa’s digital transformation policy, and it should be prioritized.
Editorial Commentary: Myriam's identification of basic access as the fundamental challenge reflects a reality that's easy to overlook in discussions about advanced digital skills. Her emphasis on rural areas lacking access to technology highlights the persistent infrastructure gaps that limit the reach of even well-designed programs.
This infrastructure challenge creates what she describes as a fundamental tension between where digital initiatives are most needed and where they're most difficult to implement. Programs often succeed in areas with existing infrastructure and education, while the most marginalized communities remain hardest to reach, creating a perpetual cycle of exclusion.
Against this backdrop, her vision for the next decade is notably ambitious, imagining not just improved access but African leadership in digital innovation. The shift from talking about training women to use technology to envisioning women leading technology development represents a significant elevation in goals that moves beyond addressing deficits to building on strengths.
Central to this vision is her mention of AI tools "adapted to rural women and girls," which suggests awareness that technology solutions need to be designed with specific user contexts in mind, rather than assuming universal applicability. This recognition of the need for contextual adaptation is important, though the practical challenges of developing such tools remain significant.
Her emphasis on "collective effort" and stakeholder mobilization acknowledges that individual programs, no matter how well-designed, cannot address systemic barriers alone. This understanding connects to her call for policy change and advocacy, suggesting that sustainable progress requires multiple levels of intervention working in concert.
The reference to "online safety" as part of equal participation reflects awareness that digital inclusion is also about creating spaces where women and girls can participate without facing harassment or other barriers that might drive them away from digital platforms. This holistic view of inclusion suggests learning from the experiences of women who've gained access only to face new forms of exclusion.
What's ultimately striking is the evolution from her earlier focus on specific programs to this broader vision of transformation. Whether such ambitious goals can be achieved remains to be seen, but the progression suggests growing confidence about what's possible when infrastructure, skills, and supportive environments align.
Conclusion
Myriam's account offers more than another development success narrative. It reveals how digital inclusion work is moving beyond conventional aid approaches. Her focus on evidence-based programming, strategic partnerships, and homegrown innovation points to a field that's learning to embed itself within existing systems rather than operating parallel to them. This approach may signal an important evolution toward more sustainable and locally-owned digital development models. Whether this represents a broader continental trend remains to be seen, but the signs here are encouraging.
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