Post by Sumaiyya Juma

Over the past week, I’ve had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations and activities around technology, policy, inclusion, and digital futures through the Africa Tech Policy Summit (AfTPS) 2026 in Nairobi. It started with sharing my AGCCI journey alongside Queenie Meria, a journey and experience I will always be grateful for. I will always be loud and proud to be an alumnus of the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI), a program that has played a significant role in shaping my path in technology and creating opportunities for growth, learning, and impact. The conversations around Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) showed that there is still a lot of work ahead of us. While technology continues to create opportunities, online harms continue to affect how women, girls and persons with disabilities participate in digital spaces. Beyond awareness and education, stronger regulations, accountability mechanisms, and implementation efforts are needed to create safer and more inclusive digital environments. We have a lot to do as The Shield Maidens. AfTPS 2026 brought together policymakers, innovators, researchers, civil society actors, and industry leaders under the theme “Building Open-Source, Accessible and Democratic Digital Futures.” The discussions throughout the week reinforced an important message; technology should not only be innovative, but also inclusive, accessible, and designed to benefit everyone. Today, I had the privilege of facilitating a session on Cyber Hygiene during a KICTANet side event under the EmpowerHer: Digital Empowerment for Women initiative. The discussions focused on the social and cultural barriers that continue to affect women’s digital participation and economic advancement. As we explored safer digital practices, it was evident that digital inclusion and digital safety must go hand in hand. Access to technology alone is not enough, people also need the skills, confidence, awareness, and enabling environments to safely and effectively use digital tools for learning, work, and economic empowerment. Grateful for the opportunities to contribute, learn, and continue being part of conversations shaping the future of technology in Africa. #AfTPS2026 #AGCCI #DigitalSafety #WomenInTech #DigitalInclusion #Cybersecurity #TechPolicy #EmpowerHer #DigitalTransformation #TheShieldMaidens