Panelist Keshia Mahmood speaks on the tools making a difference in women’s lives. Photo Credit/ Ashley Yong
Written by Dilber Shatursun
Edited by Anik Ghose
On International Women’s day, Tzu Chi was honored to host a panel dedicated to improving women’s lives in the modern, digital world. Digitalization: Opportunities for All brought to the forefront three women, Elise Anne DeVido, Caitlyn McCurn, and Keshia Mahmood, to present potential technical solutions to problems plaguing women.
Explore with us the different tools women’s rights advocates are using around the world to empower women and girls to live up to their fullest potential, and become their own biggest advocates.
Youth Online Service-Learning Course
Called by some an oasis for learning, the youth online service-learning course developed by Tzu Chi University has proven to be one of their most impactful projects to date. Developed as an educational platform for refugees in Turkey, the nation with the most displaced people per capita, this 18-week course provides students the opportunity to exchange their languages and cultures in a meaningful way. With women and children representing the majority of displaced people, this class gives them a chance to find dignity and power in their lives once more.
Can’t Wait to Learn
Developed by UNICEF, the Can’t Wait to Learn program brings solar-powered E-learning tablets to children around the world. It provides a viable alternative for those children without a school nearby and those that have missed out on school, who could have any variable level of education behind them. The children learn at a pace that makes sense for them, meaning they are met where they’re at. The distribution approach facilitates access to STEM education for marginalized groups, including girls.
The Learning Passport
The Learning Passport is an offline-capable remote learning platform designed to close the educational poverty gap. This flexible and adaptable tool supports learners by tailoring content to their own local context while simultaneously providing global resources for a well-rounded, culturally sensitive education. All educational content is vetted to ensure misogynistic ideologies are left in the past, and that girls have the opportunity to live up to their fullest potential.
Judies
Cute and informative, Judies is a free safe-sex education app. Created with young teens in mind, this silly game teaches users about effective contraceptive use, pregnancy, and so much more. In countries or situations where young people might not otherwise learn about sex from their school or their parents, Judies has been a useful tool to bridge the gap, ensuring young people get the information they need and have fun while doing it.
Mumkin
A free, Artificial Intelligence driven app, Mumkin uses an interactive chatbot to help users practice for a tough conversation on gender, sex, and culture with their friends and family. With a wide range of available topics like domestic violence, female genital cutting, and consent in relationships, Mumkin is doing the work to help keep women safe and shift cultural attitudes towards some of the most prevalent issues facing women today. The app empowers people of all genders to fight for women’s rights in a meaningful way.
Tabu
Tabu is the leading app and website dedicated to sex, relationships, and mental health in South Asia. Rather than shy away from topics that may feel uncomfortable, Tabu encourages its users to leave the shame at the door, dig deep, and have real conversations about the sexual health issues facing them. Whether it’s about finding the right partner, having enjoyable and safe sex, or learning about the body, Tabu dispels some of the biggest sexual health myths while empowering women to advocate for themselves and their bodily autonomy.
