Social networking giant Facebook and National Commission for Women (NCW) have entered partnership to launch a digital literacy programme in collaboration with the Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF). The tie-up aims at training 60,000 women in universities across India on safe use of the Internet, social media and email in a year. A pilot programme, it will enable trainees to differentiate between credible and questionable information. The training will be conducted in vernacular languages. Awareness training will be conducted for 60,000 women in universities across major cities in Haryana, Delhi-NCR, Manipur, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu over a one-year period. Cyber Peace Foundation is a Ranchi, Jharkhand-based civil society organisation involved in training related to all aspects of cyber security.
With more women going online, NCW has witnessed a surge in cybercrime-related complaints registered at the Commission in the past three years. These interactive sessions will provide training on safe and responsible use of the internet. This training will thus ensure that while they are online, they feel safe and secure which in turn will reassure and enable them to freely express themselves and share their views.