Although smartphones have become a ubiquitous appendage for many in her native Côte d’Ivoire, for Aminata Savané, Vice-President of Centre Marée de Lumière, digital literacy, inclusion and safety remain a challenge for women, the disadvantaged and young people in her country.
Since 2021, her organization’s flagship programme, the Digital O’Féminin Tour (Women’s Digital Tour), has trained more than 600 women and 200 teenagers on essential digital skills to support their digital autonomy, their political participation and responsible entrepreneurship. Many have gone on to start businesses, become content creators, or continue advanced training.
A systemic problem, not just a skills gap
“The challenge is the lack of information. Women don’t know what the internet can offer. The majority own at least a smartphone, they scroll the internet, go on Facebook all the time, but they don’t know that by creating an online activity they can make a profit,” Savané said. “They could go online to place their products and reach a wider audience beyond their local communities.”
The programme was created in response to a stark gender gap in Côte d’Ivoire’s digital landscape but goes beyond digital skills, Aminata added.
“We offer both technical training courses on digital technology and leadership training courses. We're also creating a safe space, a sisterhood for these women because we've realized that, very often, they share the same reality,” she said. “You can impart all the knowledge in the world, but if you can’t activate what springs people into action, it won’t work. That’s why the leadership sessions matter so much.”
Aminata said that, to close the digital gender gap, her organization aims to counter gender stereotypes and misconceptions, including those that women believe about themselves.
She also acknowledged the risks, especially for young people associated with digital technologies and online spaces, including cybercrime. As a UNICEF Youth Advocate for digital education, she has co-authored a guide on safe internet use for young people published with the UN agency and Jeunes Blogueurs CI (young Ivorian bloggers) community.
“When I was younger, I found myself in the middle of a digital world without any guidelines, like most young people of my generation. So, with the Jeunes Blogueurs CI community and support from UNICEF, we thought: why not create a guide that will allow our younger siblings to enter this world smoothly?” Aminata said.
Beyond the organization's program, Aminata’s ambition is to see digital literacy embedded in Côte d’Ivoire’s national curriculum — not as computer science, but as a distinct subject covering online safety, personal data protection, positive digital identity, personal branding and the responsible use of AI.
At the end of 2025, Aminata received an award at the Young Activists Summit (YAS) at the United Nations in Geneva for her digital rights work. YAS is supported by a wide range of partners, including international organizations such as UN Human Rights, UNESCO and UNFPA, along with NGOs, foundations, media, governments, and the private sector.
This story first appeared on UN Human Rights
