The African Union’s Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate (WGYD) in partnership with GIZ African Union launched the second edition of the AU Civic Tech Fund, a pan-African initiative that seeks to support initiatives and projects that strengthen citizen engagement through innovative tools and digital technologies. The 12-month initiative catalyzes and scales innovative civic tech solutions that harness the power of technology to drive citizen-led transformative action across the African continent.

Speaking at the launch event, Ms. Prudence Nonkululeko Ngwenya, Director of Women, Gender, and Youth Director, emphasized that WGYD is committed to supporting youth-led and youth-serving innovations that leverage technology to tackle societal challenges. “Central to our mission as the Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate is the support, development, and scaling of youth initiatives, particularly those aligned with the AU's Agenda 2063 and the 1 Million Next Level Initiative. Therefore, supporting initiatives that leverage technology for civic engagement and creating an empowering environment for tech-led solutions to address societal challenges, especially those affecting young people, is our priority and pivotal to our continent's progress”, she said.

As a Fund that supports initiatives that visibly contribute to the ambitious goals of AU’s Agenda 2063, 1 Million Next Level Initiative, and the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa, the initiative demonstrates effective models of citizen participation, supports the scalability of initiatives, and influences policy to support replicable and/or scalable civic technology initiatives. The second edition of the AU Civic Tech Fund 2.0 is launched following a successful inaugural edition that supported 14 organizations from across various countries on the continent. With the Fund’s support, these organizations were able to scale their initiatives ranging from platforms that facilitate citizens’ participation in decision-making processes to platforms that ensure accountability and promote transparency in the governance systems. In addition to scaling civic tech solutions, the grant also provides capacity-building opportunities for grantees and fosters collaboration among them. This year’s areas of focus for the AU Civic Tech Fund 2.0 include but are not limited to youth empowerment, civic engagement, governance innovation and service delivery, peacebuilding and security, and gender equality. 

In his remarks, Dr. Tobias Thiel, the Director of the GIZ Office to the African Union commended the Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate for spearheading the initiative and reiterated that the AU Civic Tech Fund not only provides opportunities to scale existing and tested innovations, but is also a platform to connect and learn from peers and experts. “We believe we have brought partners together who are spearheading civic tech on the continent. In the course of the Civic Tech Fund, grantees will get to connect with experts, both in terms of IT as well as product and business development. Grantees will get various opportunities to exchange and learn”, he expressed.

The Grant process of the AU Civic Tech Fund 2.0 will be managed by continental partners, the Civic Tech Innovation Network (CTIN) and Ushahidi. Through this initiative, dynamic African organizations have an opportunity to drive innovative, inclusive, and sustainable growth for our continent, contributing towards a truly citizen-driven development agenda.

Applications for the second cohort of the AU Civic Tech Fund are open at https://civictech.africa/auctf-2-2/.

For further information please contact: 

Joshua Kweikuma Quaye | Youth Engagement Associate, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: QuayeJ@africa-union.org

Daniel Adugna | Office- in-Charge, Youth Division, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: AdugnaD@africa-union.org

For media inquiries, please contact:

Arlette Akingeneye | Programme Associate, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: AkingeneyeA@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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