Meta, formerly known as the Facebook Company, has partnered with BRAC to empower Bangladeshi women and youth on digital platforms. A skills development program has been started, with the goal of upskilling 300,000 BRAC program beneficiaries after training 1,000 frontline BRAC staff members.
Additionally, the initiative will provide 60 Youth Ambassadors from BRAC’s Amra Notun Network with the tools they need to encourage 1,200 youth to become more informed online citizens.
People all over the world are now more dependent on the internet than ever because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Internet usage among Bangladeshi women and young people has significantly increased. Cybercrime and online bullying are both rising concurrently throughout the nation.
Meta will work with BRAC to upskill women and youth with the information, tools, and resources they need to have a positive experience online. This includes a social media campaign to increase awareness among Bangladeshis about the digital landscape.
Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, who leads Public Policy for Bangladesh at Meta, said “We know that the digital landscape is changing and transforming rapidly. In order for women and youth to have positive experiences online, they require the tools and knowledge to be able to do so. BRAC’s expertise and outreach capacity will help us bolster our efforts to equip Bangladeshi women and young people with the digital skills they need. Through this partnership, we will deepen our work on addressing the needs of women and youth on our platforms.”
Recently, Meta partnered with 50 non-governmental organizations around the world including BRAC to support the launch of StopNCII.org, a platform supporting efforts to stop the non-consensual sharing of intimate images on the internet, which is one of the most notorious means of cyberbullying and harassment.
Asif Saleh, Executive Director of BRAC Bangladesh said, “Meta is a very important partner for us as the country tackles a growing number of cyber threats which is challenging social cohesion. We believe the training will give our communities the much-needed tool to become more resilient and prepared in a world where the impact of digital life is increasingly crossing over to the real lives of the citizens across the society.”
To gather all the safety resources women require when using its platforms, Meta announced the opening of the “Women’s Safety Hub” in 2021. It was created after consultation with international safety partners, including Bangladesh. Information for female journalists, leaders, and abuse survivors is included.
