• Women and youth in Botswana, Burundi, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are invited to apply for the UNITAR programme  Developing Essential Digital Skills for Women and Youth in Africa: Enhancing Employment Opportunities and Livelihood Development in the Digital Economy.
  • The training programme will provide high-demand digital skills to increase employment and income-generating potential as well as guide participants on developing socially responsible digital start-ups and build leadership and entrepreneurial skills to drive change and innovation.
  • The programme will run from September 2023 to February 2024 and have online and in-person elements.
  • The deadline for application is on 4 September 2023.
Young African women sitting outdoors with a laptop on her lap
Photo by ORION_production, Envato Elements

3 August 2023, Hiroshima, Japan – Women and youth in 24 countries in Africa are invited to apply to the UNITAR programme Developing Essential Digital Skills for Women and Youth in Africa: Enhancing Employment Opportunities and Livelihood Development in the Digital Economy. Over six months, participants will build high-demand digital skills to increase employment and income-generating potential to develop socially responsible digital start-ups and improve leadership and entrepreneurial skills to drive change and innovation in their communities. The deadline for applications is 4 September 2023.

The programme is divided into three phases:

  • Phase I – Online Training (September to December 2023): Participants will complete self-paced e-modules on a digital learning platform, join webinars and receive online coaching and mentoring support.
  • Phase II – Self-led Projects and Virtual Boot Camp (December 2023 to January 2024): The participants will be selected from Phase I based on their performance including their assignments and presentations. Self-led projects and virtual boot camps will allow participants to apply their skills and knowledge in addressing a development challenge.
  • Phase III – Sustainability and Community Leadership Training (February 2024): Participants who reach phase III will receive additional training on community-building and leadership skills and create a strong network of trainers for future cohorts.

Who is eligible

The programme will prioritize participants from 24 African counties, namely: 

Botswana, Burundi, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

In particular, we are looking for women and youth who:

  • are keen to learn by doing, with a passion for development and information technologies.
  • are between 18 and 35 years old, however, women of all ages, including those over 35, are encouraged to apply, as their unique experiences and skills are valued.
  • have good oral and written English communication skills.
  • are computer literate and have access to a laptop/internet.
  • are interested in leveraging opportunities brought by digital technology.
  • are passionate to succeed and make a positive impact on their communities.
  • are committed to completing the Programme.
  • interested to keep their tech skills up to date or break into a tech career.
  • can provide a recommendation letter from an individual with verifiable credentials.
  • are (preferably) university graduates and are tech-savvy.

Topics covered

The modules will cover:

  • Digital infrastructure & connectivity
  • Digital innovation and transformation 
  • Frontier technologies including AI, big data, robotics, blockchain, IoT, and VR
  • Software development
  • Cybersecurity & Data protection
  • Digital media 
  • Project management 
  • Digital Inclusion and the digital Gender divide
  • Digital entrepreneurship
  • Training of trainers
  • Training for coaches
  • Leadership and locally-led ecosystem building

Additional Information

A certificate of completion will be issued by UNITAR to all participants who complete the course-related assignments and assessments.

The programme is offered free, thanks to the generous support of the Government and People of Japan.

See more details below about the course. The deadline is 4 September 2023.

Apply here: Developing Essential Digital Skills for Women and Youth in Africa: Enhancing Employment Opportunities and Livelihood Development in the Digital Economy

About UNITAR

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations. In 2021, UNITAR trained 370,139 learners around the world to support their actions for a better future. In addition to our headquarters in Geneva, we have offices in Hiroshima, New York and Bonn and networks around the world.

The Division for Prosperity is based in the Hiroshima Office and Geneva. We seek to shape an inclusive, sustainable and prosperous world through world-class learning and knowledge-sharing services on entrepreneurship, leadership, finance and trade, digital technologies, and nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We empower individuals from least-developed countries, countries emerging from conflict, and small-island developing states – especially women and young people – to bring about positive change.

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