Shift South connects knowledge with practice, fed by our expertise in local contexts. Our work combines research and knowledge production, knowledge exchange and South–South learning, capacity strengthening, technology exploration and assessment, and building connections and collective power.
Research and Knowledge Production
We conduct and support locally rooted research on gender, power, inequality, and other issues affecting communities across the regions where we work. We also create and maintain platforms where researchers, practitioners, and activists from the region can produce and share knowledge about their experiences, perspectives, and opinions so as to amplify voices that are often absent from mainstream research and global debates.
Technology Exploration and Assessment
We explore and support locally developed technological solutions that respond to challenges and needs identified by communities themselves. We also examine technologies developed elsewhere to understand their relevance, accessibility, risks, and potential impacts in our local contexts, particularly for women and marginalized communities.
South–South Exchange and Convening
Through dialogues, events, workshops, and other collaborative spaces, we bring together researchers, practitioners, activists, organizations, and communities to exchange knowledge and experiences at the intersection of technology, gender, justice, and power. We also create spaces where local actors from different contexts build connections and identify opportunities for collaboration and collective action.
Training and Capacity Strengthening
We develop and deliver training and other learning opportunities that help local communities think critically about technology, question existing approaches, and explore, adapt, or develop solutions that respond to their own needs and realities. Our approach focuses on building local capacities to identify challenges, make informed decisions, and shape technologies rather than simply adopt them. We offer these opportunities through our core team and network.
Who We Work With
We work with people, groups, and organizations based in or working across SWANA and Sub-Saharan Africa who share our interests and values. This includes researchers, practitioners, activists, civil society organizations, informal community groups, technologists, tech feminists, technical experts, and institutions.
We welcome collaboration with both established organizations and individuals or groups working outside formal structures. What matters most to us is a shared commitment to questioning existing power imbalances and valuing local knowledge and expertise.
