On February 20, the opening meeting of the Latvian partners of the European Union (EU) initiative 'Women’s Leadership in the Public information and communication technology (ICT) Sector' (WLICT) took place at the Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFCA) in Riga.
Representatives from the CFCA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the association 'Economic Cooperation and Investments for Latvia' (#esiLV), and Riga TechGirls attended the opening event. The purpose of the event was to introduce partners to the project's implementation approach, the main areas of work, expected results, and to agree on the next steps for cooperation.
The initiative aims to reduce gender disparities in the digital transformation process and promote women's opportunities to hold leading positions in the public ICT sector. The project foresees carrying out a variety of activities in Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Tanzania.
To successfully and effectively implement the initiative's activities, CFCLA has signed cooperation agreements with the associations #esiLV and Riga TechGirls, marking a significant step towards a more inclusive digital space and the strengthening of women's leadership in the international arena.
Within the framework of the initiative, #esiLV will create an international cooperation platform that brings together policymakers, regulators, civil society, and industry experts to strengthen women's leadership in ICT in the public sector and address gender-based cyber violence. The project will prepare analytical reports and impact assessments, organize targeted workshops for state officials and legislators involving European experts, and promote regional cooperation between countries and regulators by developing joint frameworks and training.
As a result, #esiLV helps create a more inclusive, safer, and knowledge-based digital policy environment, where women's leadership and the protection of human rights are integrated into public administration and legislative processes.
Meanwhile, Riga TechGirls will promote business engagement, support for NGOs, and awareness campaigns to encourage girls and women to choose and stay in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs. An online program with IT companies will be developed, and in-person workshops will be organized. A series of workshops called the 'Young STEM Leaders Academy' will be implemented, featuring lectures, meetings with local leaders and politicians, as well as inspirational examples from communities. Additionally, Riga TechGirls will organize hackathons based on community needs.
As a result, Riga TechGirls will strengthen girls' and women's knowledge and confidence in the possibility of choosing STEM programs, enhancing their skills, and building professional careers in STEM fields.
The initiative is part of the European Union (EU) action document "Multilateralism and Digitalization II", with a total budget of 15.1 million euros funded by the European Commission (EC). The project aims to strengthen digital capacities and promote digital literacy among women and girls worldwide.
The initiative will be implemented by a consortium of agencies from six EU Member States: Expertise France (France) – lead organization, CFCA (Latvia), ENABEL (Belgium), Estonian International Development Centre (ESTDEV) (Estonia), FIAP (Spain), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) (Germany).
The main objectives of the initiative are:
• To strengthen the capacity of public sector leaders to develop digital transformation policies with a gender perspective.
• To expand STEM education opportunities for young women.
• To create a safer digital environment by combating technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
Overall, the initiative covers 16 priority countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, aiming to reduce the gender digital gap and ensure that digital transformation is inclusive, fair, and responsive to the diverse needs of society.
CFCA, as Latvia's development cooperation agency, has signed an agreement with the EC to implement the WLICT initiative, strengthening the EU's and Latvia's commitment to promoting gender equality and digital inclusion.