| | Welcome to SHE LEADS! The SHE LEADS! Project is excited to launch its first quarterly newsletter. This newsletter is a platform for the exchange of stories, resources, and learnings for safe online communities and digital use. This first newsletter shares a brief overview of the project and the implementing partners, including the call for the digital community stewards. |
| | Project Overview SHE LEADS! is a project in South and Central Asia that aims to foster safe and meaningful online spaces and technological use for women, girls and communities. The project strives to work with different sectors to bring about positive digital experiences to all. This project will organize trainings, implement initiatives, and contribute to a community that protects women and girls as they use technology to actively participate in all aspects of society. SHE LEADS! is implemented by Search for Common Ground, in partnership with the Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness (SFEA), the Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media (MMF), and the Civil Initiatives on Internet Policy (CIIP). |
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| Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness (SFEA) is a local civil society organization in Pakistan which has been active since 2008 in areas of women empowerment, democracy and governance, and social peacebuilding with projects in more than 60 districts in the country. Through SHE LEADS!, SFEA aims to increase capacities related to online and digital safety and amplify multi-sectoral engagement and network to support women and girls affected by harm facilitated by use of technology and online spaces. |
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| “With technology, while the players may have changed, issues affecting the communities remain the same. All of the social, cultural, economic and political structural concerns have moved online, into our electronic devices and onto our favorite digital platforms, finding new contexts and ways in which harm occurs. It is obligatory for all of us to face the challenges that online and technology-facilitated harm presents and to come up with solutions that recognize their complexity.” -Wardah Iftikhar, SFEA Project Manager. |
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| Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media or Mass Media Foundation (MMF) is a local civil society organization in Uzbekistan founded in 2019 with the aim of improving media conditions and protecting the work of journalists and bloggers. Their competencies are in the field of media advocacy, media literacy, training, and development, gender equality in media, and media studies. Through SHE LEADS!, the MMF will collaborate with different stakeholders to promote media ethics, media literacy, and inclusive media. |
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| “At the Mass Media Foundation, we envision a future where women and girls can harness the power of online platforms without fear. SHE LEADS is a crucial step toward that vision. We are eager to engage with gender equality advocates, digital creators, and the public on this important issue. Together, we can build a safer online space where everyone's voice is respected and valued.” -Diyora Mamadalieva, MMF Project Manager. |
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| Civil Initiatives on Internet Policy (CIIP) is a local organization in Kyrgyzstan founded in 2001 dedicated to advancing digitalization and information technology, fostering healthy online discussions, and promoting digital stewardship within the communities. Through SHE LEADS!, CIIP will collaborate with different stakeholders to identify and train digital stewards, organize trainings, and share experiences on counteracting online violence. |
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| “We recognize the importance of collaboration in achieving our goals. As an organization with a longstanding commitment to internet development and technology, we believe that empowering online administrators is crucial in creating safer and more inclusive online spaces. We believe that by working together, we can make significant strides towards creating a safer, more inclusive online environment for all. Your expertise and dedication are invaluable assets in this endeavor, and we are excited about the potential impact of our collaboration.” -Temir Kazybay, CIIP Project Manager |
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| Call for Digital Community Stewards If you are interested in being part of our digital stewards community, email us at she_leads@sfcg.org for more information. As a digital community steward, you must be a leader (admin or moderator) of an online community/group that has focus on any topics related to community building or social empowerment. As a digital community steward, you will be part of an international supportive community making a positive impact in both online and offline spaces. You will receive trainings, support, and resources by participating in our initiatives to make your online community safer, more vibrant and more impactful. |
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| “In SHE LEADS!, our mission is to uplift and empower digital community stewards —the unsung heroes of online spaces. These dedicated individuals selflessly lead, facilitate, and safeguard online communities, yet their invaluable contributions often go unnoticed and unrewarded. We recognize the vital role they play in fostering social cohesion in the digital realm. Through SHE LEADS!, we aspire to create safer online environments for everyone by supporting and nurturing these remarkable leaders.” -Dharini Priscilla, Leading Advisor on Gender and Digital Peacebuilding |
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“As a consortium, we are on a collective mission to advance women-led and multisectoral engagement to respond to challenges and harm facilitated or amplified by technology and to support women and girls in achieving meaningful online engagement and participation. We strive to work together to counter violence and abuses online and offline, and to increase our understanding of their impacts, so that we will be able to better promote safety not only among online spaces and digital spheres but also within the communities. Our team is committed to our project goals, and we look forward to sharing with you more about our digital community in the subsequent quarters through our newsletters.” -Christine Sumog-oy, SHE LEADS Project Manager |
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| Join us in our mission to create safer, inclusive spaces both online and offline for women and girls, and for all! |
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| | |  | This project is made possible through the support of the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues (S/GWI) of the U.S. Department of State. The contents are the sole responsibility of Search for Common Ground and CSO core partners and do not necessarily reflect the views of S/GWI or of the United States Government. |
| | Copyright © 2024 ConnexUs, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to receive updates on the SHE LEADS project (contact: she_leads@sfcg.org). Our mailing address is: ConnexUs at Search for Common Ground |
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