Objectives

Develop enhanced digital capacities and confidence, allowing AGYW to engage meaningfully with online platforms, access services, and leverage digital tools for education, employment, and social empowerment.

Project Summary

In Bangladesh, many adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) face significant barriers to accessing digital technologies due to restrictive social norms. These norms, often upheld by their parents, siblings, and husbands, dictate what is considered acceptable behaviour for girls, including restrictions on their use of mobile phones and the internet. As a result, AGYW are less likely to own smartphones or use the internet compared to boys, limiting their opportunities for education, health information, and income-generating activities. Research has shown that these gender-based digital restrictions are deeply rooted in cultural expectations, and while mobile technology has the potential to improve the lives of AGYW greatly, these social norms prevent them from fully engaging with digital tools. Addressing these barriers is essential to ensuring that AGYW can access the same opportunities as their male peers, enabling them to thrive in today’s increasingly digital world.

To tackle these challenges, the JAAGO Foundation is launching an intervention focused on shifting these digital norms and empowering AGYW to make use of digital technologies safely and effectively. The project will begin with the development of a comprehensive training module, created in partnership with BBC Media Action. This module will be designed for three groups—AGYW, their digital gatekeepers (such as parents, older siblings, and husbands), and adolescent boys and young men. It will cover topics like digital literacy, safe online practices, and gender-sensitive communication, with a focus on challenging the restrictive digital norms that AGYW face. The materials will be adaptable to both urban and semi-urban contexts, ensuring that the content is relevant and practical for all participants.

In addition to the module development, the project will recruit and train 40 Master Trainers from Dhaka and Khulna. These trainers will undergo intensive training to equip them with the skills to effectively facilitate the modules. The next step will be to recruit 2,000 participants, including 800 AGYW, 800 digital gatekeepers, and 400 adolescent boys and young men, ensuring a diverse and representative group from the target communities. These participants will engage in a series of three half-day training sessions, where they will learn how to use digital tools safely and support each other in overcoming the barriers imposed by restrictive norms. The training will include role-playing, group discussions, and practical demonstrations to enhance understanding and participation. By the end of the project, the goal is to have shifted both personal and community-level attitudes towards digital technology, empowering AGYW to take full advantage of digital opportunities without the limitations of outdated social expectations.