Ventures Platform Foundation, the social impact arm of Ventures Platform Hub, has launched a call for applications for its latest incubation programme, Gov Labs – a 12-week programme for tech solutions implementing accountability and transparency within the Nigerian government’s COVID-19 response. The foundation said the new initiative, created with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), will support civil society organisations from across Nigeria as they build innovative solutions promoting good governance and wide scale access to public services. Five organisations will be selected to take part in the Gov Labs programme, with each receiving a US$2,500 grant as well as access to mentorship, technical support and networking opportunities. During the 12-week period, participants will also work alongside key experts in policy advocacy, citizen engagement and public sector reform as they build scalable and easily adoptable solutions which target the pain points of the Nigerian government’s COVID-19 response. According to Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), there were over 100 incidents of human rights violations within the initial lockdown period alone. To curb the impact of the coronavirus, Nigeria has imposed stringent and severe measures on its citizens, most notably around the freedom of movement and assembly.
SOURCE: DISRUPT AFRICA