1. Key Policy Questions and related issues:
• Which existing inclusive strategies to tackle the digital gender divide and address women’s online engagement can be further developed to ensure the digital inclusion of young women in all their diversities?
• What can we do to ensure development policies (both offline and online) respond to the local needs of young women from the global south when implementing digital inclusion programmes?
• How can we bridge the gap between the technology sector and the activist world to ensure online civic engagement of women?
2. Summary of Issues Discussed:
- The “tech for good” debate is dominated by assumptions, which include activists as women who aren’t tech-savvy and lack safe spaces to learn about tech; and tech experts as men who lack the capacity to translate their knowledge to the world outside of their bubble. Encouraging safe communications between developers and users ensures bridging the gaps between both worlds. Listening more than talking is an effective way to ensure that activist and community’s needs are taken into consideration by tech providers.
- Inclusivity is key to enable young women and men to fully participate in social, economic and political life and bridge the digital gender gap. Inclusive online platforms can be a catalyst to fulfil this potential; combined with offline work to reach those not connected online.
- Inclusive teams (from all relevant socio-economic groups and genders in society) ensure that media coverage is inclusive;
- Inclusive content ensures a diversity of women’s voices are heard and gender norms are challenged, and men and boys are engaged to effectuate inclusive change;
- Inclusive media ensures low literate audiences are reached by making content as visual as possible (through videos, vlogs, podcasts);
- Inclusive tech makes sure platform users spend a minimum of data for maximum result, as data is a luxury in many countries;
- Inclusive partnerships with organizations who work offline ensures reaching women who are not connected online.
- SMART targeting can be a tool for gender inclusiveness. By making sure content is aimed specifically at women and reaches them first allows them to start the conversation and provides a safe space to do so, this can increase women’s engagement on online platforms significantly. These strategies can be used to include women, but also a range of intersectionalities such as race, ethnicity, socio-economic background etc.
7. Reflection to Gender Issues:
- The bridge between male tech experts and female activists: Women are often assumed not to be tech-savvy and men would lack the capacity to translate their tech knowledge to the outside world.
- The bridge between women and economic and political participation: To bridge the digital gender gap, inclusive online platforms can be used to fulfil the potential of participation in social, economic and political life.
- The bridge between online content and women: SMART targeting can be used to make sure content is aimed specifically at women and reaches them first allows them to start the conversation online.
10. Voluntary Commitment:
Reema Hamidan (Huna Libya): “Engaging more women in content creation on our platforms to increase gender inclusiveness for these spaces.”
Jahou Nyan (RNW Media): “I am going to work hard to make sure by December 2021 we will improve the digital literacy skills of at least 100 young women between 15 and 30 years old who live and work in Sub-Saharan"
Anna Kuliberda (TechSoup): “Digging deeper into understanding the community-oriented innovation culture and adjusting technology and innovation, so it can be more sustainable, and more people will be able to take advantage of the innovation.”