Open Cities Lab

Justice also depends on where you live. In Kitui and Machakos, families wait an average of 7 years. In Nyandarua, Baringo, and Kwale 6 years. Even in Nairobi, it's still 4 years.

We are releasing the latest Femicide Report today, marking the third consecutive year of publishing this data. We’ve combed through 10 years of court and media records to document more than 1,060 women killed, assess how the justice system has responded, and build Kenya’s most comprehensive observatory on femicide. Between 2016 and 2025, at least 1,069 women were killed, including 102 deaths in 2025 alone. Most victims were women aged 18 to 35, killed by husbands, boyfriends, or other family members, most often at home. The methods, stabbing, strangulation, and blunt force, point to intimate, face to face violence. Justice remains slow and uneven. Case timelines vary sharply by county, often taking four to seven years to conclude. When convictions occur, husbands receive the shortest sentences on average. Overall, sentencing lengths continue to decline, and fewer than 10% of cases filed since 2016 have reached judgment. At the same time, violence is evolving, with digital platforms increasingly used to groom and exploit women, while cultural norms continue to shield perpetrators. Counting the Cost: A Decade of Femicide in Kenya is a collaborative project by Odipo Dev, @AfUncensored, and @Africa_DataHub Here's the data...

@opencitieslabza Joanne: Interoperability and open APIs are key for how we build municipal digital infrastructure in South Africa. The question is: who is responsible to build this and who hosts?

Joanne Parker (@opencitieslabza): we need to be supporting digital public infrastructure and digital public goods in SA, municipalities need equitable access to tools and resources to improve the lives of residents #COMPACT2025

We’re hiring! Open Cities Lab is looking for a Product Manager to use data & product thinking to make cities work better for residents. Work with governments, shape strategies, and deliver tools that matter. Apply 🔗: shorturl.at/aToRN

When built on openness and equity, DPI is becoming one of Africa’s most powerful tools for strengthening inclusion and public trust. We’re grateful to @CentreforDPI for amplifying our reflections on how African-led DPI can shape a more connected, people-centred future.

Megan Wadge, CEO of @opencitieslabza, reflects on how #DPI can power inclusion, trust, and growth across Africa. Examples across countries show what’s possible when digital systems are built with rights, openness, and equity at the centre. 🔗 Read more: opencitieslab.org/blogs/the-futu…

African Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) implementers, let’s meet! ☕ A relaxed pre-Summit meetup to connect and share experiences in building DPI across Africa. Wed 5 Nov, 8:30–10AM Monarch Coffee Cartel | Media24, Cape Town RSVP here:🔗forms.gle/pLphV8VmQAcZTc…

We’re proud to share our 2024/2025 Annual Report! 2024 has been a year of intentional growth, marked by deeper collaboration and greater impact. Explore how we’re building better cities, together in our 2024/25 Annual Report: 🔗bit.ly/41CBlXY

We’re growing! 📣 We're looking for a Senior DevOps Engineer to join our team. If you’re passionate about building scalable, secure systems and want to apply your skills to making cities more transparent, responsive, and inclusive, this is for you. 🔗 bit.ly/3JxbkmE

Do you write about Africa? Whether you're a creative writer, content creator, journalist, or development communicator, the Africa Bias Buster is your new storytelling superpower. Our innovative AI tool helps you move beyond stereotypes by screening your text for bias and offering clear, actionable feedback to bring balance, context, and nuance to your stories. Hundreds of storytellers are already using the Africa Bias Buster to tell more authentic, powerful African narratives. Ready to unlock your writing superpower? Check Africa Bias Buster out here: africanofilter.org/africa-bias-bu… #AfricaBiasBuster

Missed @opencitieslabza's July 22 OCL Showcase Session? They demonstrated how to use "FileScout", an AI tool designed to help researchers, journalists, & policy advocates quickly understand the contents of large-volume documents. Full session recording👇 @c6b56089-c463-4e46-a3f2-82e4e839882a?vod&attendeeId=79acbf22-1737-4d4f-8935-57ca72c33597" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">events.teams.microsoft.com/event/9790f78a…

🗓️ Key dates: Submission Deadline: 25 July 2025 Notifications: 28 July 2025 Workshop: 22 August 2025 💻 Website and more details: sites.google.com/nyu.edu/dli202…

We are looking for: 📌Real-world AI use cases. 📌A clear description of the task, intent, risks, and governance. 📌A simple workflow diagram of the AI system. Submit a 1 page summary here: forms.gle/ku657MNoWEbhbp…

📢Call for Submissions📢 Are you working on AI systems deployed in the real world? Do you care about how these systems interact with people and their governance? Join our Workshop on Human-AI Interaction in the Global Majority @DeepIndaba 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda! Details below:

The DPI Roadmap Playbook is here to guide countries on their digital transformation journey! As @MensahSabine, Deputy CEO of AfricaNenda Foundation, shares, this playbook is a tool to guide countries on their national DPI journey. This practical resource helps nations build inclusive, sustainable digital infrastructure tailored to their unique needs. From stakeholder alignment to real-world insights, it’s a step-by-step guide for turning vision into action. Download the playbook here 👉: africanenda.org/en/publication… @gatesfoundation @BetterThan_Cash @CentreforDPI

🌍 Excited about #CivicTechInAfrica? Stay updated on our projects and initiatives across Africa. Join our mailing list to connect and collaborate! Subscribe to our newsletter: 🔗bit.ly/3YXIEsD #CivicTech #CivicTechAfrica

Big changes at OCL! Founder Richard Gevers has taken up an exciting new role with the SA Presidency as Head of Service Design in the Digital Services Unit. Our Strategic Management Team is now driving a bold 2030 vision: 100 cities, 200M people. 🔗 bit.ly/4lbujks

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿! 🌍 Join Open Cities Lab as a Finance Manager and play a key role in powering data-driven transformation. 📍 Johannesburg (Hybrid / Remote) 📅 Apply by 20 June 2025 🔗 bit.ly/4jMjvI6