Podcast

Thematic podcast series with short 15-minute interviews featuring data and technology experts from non-profit, government, multi-lateral, research, or private sector organizations on the application of digital innovations to global development and humanitarian challenges.

 

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Season 5 – Digital Tech & the Food Crisis

 

 

 

Season 4 – Digital Tech for Peace

 

Hear stories and first-hand practical advice from peace tech and international development experts, shedding light on how digital technologies are applied in a peace context.

 

 

Dr. Sanjana Hattotuwa, Special Advisor at the ICTPeace Foundation, offers guidance for civil society to better use their strong online presence and social media for peace building and social cohesion.

 

Alice Nderitu, the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide at the United Nations, explains how civil society organizations can join the collaborative flight against hate speech and contribute to the prevention of atrocity crimes.

For more information visit www.un.org/en/genocideprevention

 

Jomari Guillermo, Communications Manager at Catholic Relief Services in the Philippines, shares lessons learned from social media training of youth activists for strengthening their peace agendas and increase influence.

 

Adrienne Brooks, Senior Advisor for the Technology for Development team at Mercy Corps, specializes in addressing the weaponization of social media as it relates to peacebuilding. She introduces Mercy Corps global framework for understanding risks and resilience of social media and conflict and how it is applied in local context.

 

Dr. Lisa Schirch, Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and Research Fellow at the Toda Peace Institute, introduces us to peace tech, its history, trends, current examples, and their impact – including Ushahidi, Build Up, Polis, and the Angry Uncle Chatbot.

 

Season 3 – ICT for Malaria Elimination 

 

Dr. John Reeder, Director of TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Disease, based at the World Health Organization, gives an overview of digital technologies used globally to help fight malaria, and discusses their potential and barriers.

 

 

Ousman Njie, Head of Office, and Alieu Bah, Project Officer Malaria, at Catholic Relief Services Gambia, on Engaging youth in data collection for health programs and building digital capacity in the Gambia:

 

Season 2 – Digital Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

 

Kilyelyani Kanjo, Digital Financial Services Consultant, and Nandini Harihareswara, Senior Advisor for Inclusive Digital Economies & Women’s Economic Empowerment, at United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) on SPRINT4Women, a unique design sprint engaging private sector in human-centred design for financial inclusion of rural women in Zambia.

 

Bonnie Chiu (Managing Director of The Social Investment Consultancy, Founder of  Lensational) on grassroots and entrepreneurial approaches to digital capacity building of marginalized women.

 

Revi Sterling (Gender and Technology Specialist, DAI Global; Director, USAID WomenConnect Challenge) shares five proven strategies to close the gender digital divide and increase women’s economic empowerment.

List of resources: Gender Digital Divide Primer; Gender and ICT Survey Toolkit; Gender Digital Divide Desk Review, Gender Analysis Technical

 

Claire Sibthorpe (Head of Connected Women, Connected Society and Assistive Tech, GSMA) on delivering digital inclusion and connecting the unconnected. Mentioned resources: The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report

 

Jocelyn Williams (Director of Business Development, Every1Mobile) on the role of digital tech in empowering women and addressing digital diversity and inclusion:

 

Ronda Zelezny-Green (Global Head of Training and Learning, The Internet Society; Co-Founder & Director, Panoply Digital) on digital literacy and race in ICT4D:

 

Imogen Wall (Frontline Aid Worker, Therapist, Mental Health First Aid Instructor) on stress management during the pandemic; benefits and challenges of providing mental health support via digital tech. Links to resources: www.imogenwall.co.uk, www.headington-institute.org, www.mind.org.uk

 

Season 1 – Digital Transformation & IT Priorities

 

This series of CIO/IT director interviews summarizes top IT priorities and trends for 2021, including resource mobilization, IT security, optimizing remote operations and digital work-spaces, strategic changes.

 

Michael Johnson (CIO, The Global Fund), on their digital transformation journey, and IT priorities for 2021, including effective remote operations, continuous operational improvements, supporting in country partners, and collaborative tech innovations.

Marco van den Berg (CIO, Information & Knowledge Systems, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on digitization trends and associated cyber risk and interoperability concerns.

Thomas Rubatscher (Intl. Director ICT at SOS Children’s Villages International) on digital transformation, technology trends such as chat-bots, and ICT priorities.

Priscilla Chomba-Kinywa (Head of Digital and Technology, ActionAid) on Covid-19 accelerated digital transformation and strategic changes (as tech staff leading programs).

Sebastian Manhart (Chief Partnerships Officer, Simprints) on adapting digital health innovations and services in response to Covid-19. – Link to mentioned Privacy & Biometrics Webinar

Bobby Jefferson, VP and CTO at DAI Global Health, on emerging technologies in global health and associated risk, especially cyber security.

Mala Kumar (Senior Program Manager for Tech for Social Good at GitHub, Inc) on opportunities and barriers of open source adoption in the development and humanitarian sector.   Report: Open Source in the Social Sector https://socialimpact.github.com/#report

Anthony Makumbi (Chief Technology Officer & Snr. IT Director Solutions, Shared Action Africa) on digital transformation and digital skill gaps and trends in Uganda.

Rosa Maria Cortada (CIO, Oxfam Intermón) on their digital transformation progress so far; which tools support staff work remotely and help gain more control during times of general uncertainty.

Karl Lowe (CIO, Catholic Relief Services) on their agency-wide ICT priorities and strategy, or as he refers to as his “High Five Focus Areas”.

Sreeni Narayanan (Group Managing Director, ASSIST Asia) on digital skills and literacy in the Philippines, and partnership trends during the pandemic.

 

World Food Day Episode
Deepak Pareek (Founder, Digi Agri; Director, HnyB Tech Incubations; Tech Pioneer, World Economic Forum) on digital trends in agriculture during COVID-19 and emerging technologies that truly support farmers.

 

Chris Houston (Director of Humanitarian Innovation, Humanitarian Grand Challenge Canada) on innovations trends, investing in local leadership and solutions, and the upcoming Request for Proposals at https://humanitariangrandchallenge.org