Enhancing Citizen Engagement: The Future of Data Accessibility in Tunisia

In this episode of the Civic Tech in Africa podcast, host Nathi Mcetywa talks to Ahmed Zoghlami, CEO of Idarity, about their innovative project Akram. We explore the role of civic tech in enhancing citizen engagement with public institutions, the importance of stakeholder involvement in platform design, and the challenges of data accessibility in Tunisia. Ahmed shares insights on how Akram aims to bridge gaps between data producers and journalists, making information more accessible and actionable. The discussion also touches on the future vision for Akram as a knowledge hub for Africa and the support provided by the African Union Civic Tech Fund to scale their initiatives across the continent.

Key Takeaways:

-Idarity addresses the friction between citizens and public institutions.
-The Akram project connects data producers with journalists.
-Stakeholder engagement is crucial in designing effective platforms.
-Data accessibility is a significant challenge in Tunisia.
-Public institutions often struggle with data management and transparency.
-The Akram platform aims to humanize data through storytelling.
-Partnerships with public institutions enhance data availability.
-The vision for Akram includes scaling to other African countries.
-The Civic Tech Fund supports scaling initiatives across borders.
-Language diversity in Africa presents both challenges and opportunities.