Eswatini develops gender impact tools for digital transformation

Eswatini is developing a new gender impact assessment framework to ensure women and underserved groups benefit equitably from the country’s digital economy. During a co-creation workshop in Mbabane, Minister of Information, Communications and Technology Senator Savannah Maziya emphasized that gender considerations must be integrated into digital policies, platforms, and institutions from the outset rather than being treated as an afterthought.

The initiative involves stakeholders from Eswatini, The Gambia, and Smart Africa, with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). The goal is to co-develop and pilot three specific instruments: a Gender Impact Assessment Tool, a Gender Monitoring Tool, and a Gender Audit Tool. These tools aim to transform broad policy commitments into measurable components of government planning and accountability, addressing barriers in digital access, affordability, skills, and online safety.