SXSW: Africa, Tech & Women: The New Faces of Development
Internews VP for Africa, Health and Humanitarian Media Programs, Deborah Ensor will speak on a panel at the 19th annual SXSW Interactive festival on March 12 in Austin, Texas
The festival, which takes place March 9-13, features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer.
The "Africa, Tech & Women: The New Faces of Development" panel provides a rare glimpse into the multitude of ways African women are applying technology to advance Africa’s development. The panel aims to dispel the myths about African women as breeders and victims -- incapable of participating in their own continent’s development, by: (1) showcasing contributions they are making in the technology field – through entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and community leadership; and (2) providing insights into how they are using technology to raise awareness about, mobilize campaigns against and address human rights violations.
The panel will specifically explore how African women are using technology to make an impact through:
- Digital advocacy to protect people’s rights
- Social media to help grassroots organizations engage new supporters worldwide
- Mobile advertising to enable small businesses to access new markets
- Internet connectivity to integrate the often unheard community voices into the global conversation on development
Throughout the discussion, panelists will provide anecdotes on how the resulting increased access to information, is altering the role of women in African society.
Africa.com blog post by Liz Ngonzi - why you should come to the panel
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