From Digital Platforms to Squares: Digital Activism and Women
Digital technologies have added a new dimension to activism by facilitating the spread of women against social inequalities and gendered violence.
The internet and social media platforms have become important tools for young women and minorities in particular to make their voices heard (Mendes, Ringrose, & Keller, 2019). However, obstacles such as online harassment and inequality in digital access continue to limit the activities in digital activism (UNDP, 2021).
Important Milestones in Digital Activism
In 2017, the #MeToo movement became a global phenomenon, especially in the United States, with victims of sexual harassment voicing their experiences (Fileborn & Loney-Howes, 2019). This movement has revived the discussion of sexual harassment and abuse in many countries. Similarly, the #YesAllWomen hashtag, which emerged in 2014, drew attention to systematic violence and discrimination against women and gained bandwidth in short bursts (Jenkins, 2014). In Latin America, the #NiUnaMenos campaign represents a combination of online and offline mass protests against femicide (García, 2017).
Taking Digital Activism to the Streets
Hashtag activism continues to have an impact when combined with online solidarity and physical defiance. In the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria, online campaigns led street demonstrations and attracted international attention (Eze, 2020). This hybrid strategy is emerging as a form of collective action for the digital age, spreading across women’s movements.
Digital Activism and Women’s Safety
Women are at higher risk of online harassment than men. A study conducted in the United Kingdom revealed that only 24% of women can freely express their personal parts on social media platforms (Smith & Anderson, 2018). This situation necessitates that digital platforms be made safe spaces for women.
Examples of Digital Activism in the Global South
The Digital Rights Foundation, founded in Pakistan under the chairmanship of Nighat Dad, plays an important role in combating cyber harassment and protecting women’s digital rights (Digital Rights Foundation, 2023). Data-driven campaigns in Latin America have been effective in changing femicide (García, 2017).
Conclusion and Recommendations
While digital activism increases the visibility of women’s social struggles, obstacles such as online harassment and digital barriers persist. Making digitally safe will increase the success in this area, apart from the growth of digital literacy programs for women and their online and offline transactions (Mendes et al., 2019; UNDP, 2021).
References
Digital Rights Foundation. (2023). Annual report on digital rights and cyber harassment. Retrieved from https://digitalrightsfoundation.pk/report2023
Eze, C. (2020). The #EndSARS movement: Digital activism and youth political participation in Nigeria. African Journal of Media Studies, 12(3), 345–360. https://doi.org/10.1386/jams_00040_1
Fileborn, B. and Loney-Howes, R. (2019). #MeToo and the politics of social change. Palgrave Macmillan.
Garcia, M. (2017). Ni Una Menos: Digital activism against femicide in Latin America. Feminist Media Studies, 17(6), 967–971. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2017.1379307
Jenkins, H. (2014). #YesAllWomen and the online visibility of everyday sexism. Feminist Media Studies, 14(5), 727–731. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2014.946568
Mendes, K., Ringrose, J., & Keller, J. (2019). #MeToo and the promises and pitfalls of challenging rape culture through digital feminist activism. European Journal of Women's Studies, 26(2), 236–246. English: https://doi.org/10.1177/1350506818765318
Smith, A., & Anderson, M. (2018). Online harassment 2017. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/07/11/online-harassment-2017/
UNDP. (2021). Digital gender divide report: Women and technology. United Nations Development Program. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org/publications/digital-gender-divide-2021