By Fatima Zahra Laaribi

Financial Manager and Trainer

I had the honor of taking part in the 1st Maghreb Training of Trainers on Digital Security. The High Atlas Foundation was selected out of 95 associations from all over the Maghreb to further strengthen its capacities as a non-profit organization in the safe use of technology and information technologies, and mitigating digital harms and threats. This seminar was organized by SimSim-Citizen Participation (an independent nonprofit Moroccan association whose aim is to raise Moroccan citizens’ participation in managing public affairs through the use of ICTs: www.simsim.ma ) in partnership with Middle East and North Africa Innovation Network for Change (Innovation for Change initiative), which is a global network promoting civil space, bringing together activists and NGOs from six different regional centers in Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Trainees took a comprehensive course on Digital Security technologies, latest updates on Digital Threats, and different ways to deal with these threats.

The participants represent 10 civil society organizations, headed by:

1. From Morocco: The High Atlas Foundation, Association of Southern Societies, and Association of Citizenship Friends;

2. From Tunisia: Tunisian Union for Media Association, Youth Without Borders Association, and Tunisian Association against Cyber Crimes;

3. From Algeria: The Agora project in the Middle East and North Africa region and the Youth Forum of Algeria;

4. From Mauritania: Bonds Forum, Mauritanian Organization for Assistance and Social Solidarity, and Support for the Environment Protection.

The training session covered the following subjects:

·Protecting computers from malwares & hackers;

·Keeping sensitive files safe on your computer;

·Maintaining and protecting Internet communications, e-mail, and voice/text chat in particular;

·Protecting data upon use of Social Networks;

·Safe usage of basic and/or smart phones.

To conclude the Training of Trainers course on Digital Security, and after handing Training Certificates to the trainers representing different organizations, there was a moment of reflection on the training and post-training outcome.

Our sincere expressions of gratitude are extended to the wonderful Professor Bahaa Nasr and to the High Atlas Foundation President, Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, for supporting and encouraging his team to attend and represent the Foundation in such training courses.