IGF 2022 WS #400 Feminist Organizing Online amidst Shrinking Civic Space

Organizer 1: Patricia Nyasuna, Women of Uganda Network
Organizer 2: Sandra Aceng, Women of Uganda Network

Speaker 1: Sandra Aceng, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Peace Oliver Amuge, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: Esther Nyapendi, Civil Society, African Group

Moderator

Patricia Nyasuna, Civil Society, African Group

Online Moderator

Patricia Nyasuna, Civil Society, African Group

Rapporteur

Patricia Nyasuna, Civil Society, African Group

Format

Break-out Group Discussions - Flexible Seating - 60 Min

Policy Question(s)

The proposal responds to these 3 policy questions;
1. Do the Legal technicalities or laws in line with internet and Information Communication technologies disempower or empower women to organize online?
2. How practical are the already existent laws or legal frame work in relation to Shrinking Civic Space?
3. Do the policies exist and are women aware of them?

Connection with previous Messages:

SDGs

5. Gender Equality


Targets: Under SDG 5 on Gender Equality one of the sub areas is ;Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life which directly speaks to the situation of shrinking Civic space for Feminist organizing.
Also eliminate any form of violence or discrimination against women and girls at all levels, from the topic we intend to hold, we realize that the shrinking of Civic space for feminist organizing is a form of discrimination against women and therefore needs to be addressed.

SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities talks about eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices which we find very fundamntal in causing the civoic space for feminist organizing to shrink.

Description:

We intend to host a session on the Impact of Shrinking Civic Space on Feminist Organizing online which will engage stakeholders including Feminists, Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs)Structurally Silenced women like LBT and sex workers, Activists and civil society iso as to share experiences best practices from different countries and strategize on how to survive as feminist in the civic space that is currently shrinking.

We plan to have a nuanced and interactive session where the session facilitators will share experiences, case studies, perspectives from different countries so as to build a solid discussion. Through this, participants will be guided to make a PESTLE analysis to ascertain (Political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors for shrinking civic space for Feminist Organizing. This will end in recommendation sharing and an action plan development through derived themes with the aim of collectively creating a safe space for Feminists to organize online.
We shall use interactive platforms like mural to support in capturing all input from participants in the session.

Expected Outcomes

We believe that the session will be a perfect opportunity to start a conversation that will facilitate in deepening connections for Feminists, Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), Activists, civil society and Policy Makers. Through networking these stakeholders will be able to engage in movement building through partnerships and collaborations in conducting advocacy in relation to feminist organizing.

Also, since the session aims at creating a clear roadmap for the future of feminist organizing online, through the various engagement methods, we shall document the discussed plan conclusively and have it availed online.

It will be circulated and kept updated as different stakeholders make strides.

Hybrid Format: We intend to have more time for indepth interaction and articulating of issues with participants that is why we plan to use break out rooms. With this format it is easier for participants to volunteer and take lead on conclusive actions or even contribute as a working group making follow up very easy and acheievement of goals timely.
The workshop is more towards building a strategy, therefore we need critical input yfrom all participants so we hope to develop 2 to 3 questions to guide the break out rooms.
We shall use a google doc as well as mural to ensure inclusivity but also to make sure participants both online and offline freely share their input.

Online Participation



Usage of IGF Official Tool.