The pandemic has created a new reality for all EU citizens, forcing many employees to work remotely from home. Within this context, it’s important to pay attention to what happens with the non-skilled workers and especially those who do not even have the basic language and other soft skills that would allow them to first survive and then give them the possibility of quality living as all other citizens. Internet non-users are at particular risk of social isolation, due to their digital exclusion. Migrants also face additional barriers to digital inclusion, due to relying on others to translate the websites of service providers and social media platforms to their native languages. While the pandemic has prompted more innovative approaches to service delivery, digital inclusion is of paramount importance.
Although the digital sector is rapidly growing, creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs every year, the share of women in this sector is decreasing. Women and especially Third-Country National (TCN) women are under-represented at all levels in the digital sector in Europe. Women in Poland, Romania and Greece are the least likely to be taking part in the digital economy, either through employment, use of the internet, or skills. TCN women have limited opportunities to access digital skills training and to access digital employment opportunities. Therefore, migrants who lack access to online connectivity, digital devices and skills have been further isolated during the pandemic.
Objectives:
The main objective of the DIGITS project is to improve the digital inclusion of TCN women in the selected EU countries through practical tools and tailored educational interventions to ensure a better life quality for them. More specifically, the DIGITS project aims to improve the national and transnational understanding of the needs of digital inclusion for the women in the EU. It is important to develop practical tools and gather useful resources in terms of digital inclusion and, thus, social justice for women with a migrant-refugee background.
To this end, the DIGITS consortium will prioritize increasing the participation rates among people with fewer opportunities, specifically migrant and non-digitally literate women, in line with the principles of the 2020-25 Gender Equality Strategy as a vehicle for the promoted gender perspective in the proposed action. Our approach will be integrated to improve the capacity of professionals and stakeholders who have direct access to TCN women on how to develop their digital skills and, ultimately, empower them. Also, a specific objective is to raise awareness among professionals, relevant stakeholders and the public on the digital inclusion needs of TCN women.
DIGITS at a glance:
- Primary and secondary research work with TCN women, professionals, and representatives of public and private stakeholders
- Compilation of National Reports and Transnational Report on the Tutoring Support Scheme
- Selection of relevant good practices and identification of the needs and key principles regarding the digital inclusion of TCN women
- Design of a capacity building programme (free e-course)
- Development of an e-learning platform and pilot testing implementations
- Delivery of skills-building training of trainers’ programme and pilot delivery of capacity building between stakeholder representatives, professionals and TCN women
- Multiplier events will be organized in all partners countries. In these events, all relevant stakeholders will be invited, including migrants’ associations, NGOs working with TCN women, HE/research & VET institutions. The events will be promoted through all possible means, to present the project and the platform
- Final conference in Brussels, to present the project activities, results, and outcomes to relevant stakeholders and the wider public. The goal of this event would be to incorporate the major project’s outputs into the national frameworks, as well as extending their utilization beyond the participating countries, contributing thus to the sustainability and further exploitation of the project.
