THE WOMEN’S RIGHTS ONLINE (WRO) NETWORK
Learn more about the member organisations of the WRO network and the work they’re doing to further women’s access to and empowerment through the web.
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AFRICA
Internet Sans Frontières | Cameroon
Internet Sans Frontières (ISF) successfully launched a campaign on ‘Why digital inclusion of women matters’ in Cameroon. Supported by the country Digital Gender Gap Audit, ISF is working with a civil society coalition to lobby Cameroonian officials on the adoption of a gender clause in regulations related to Universal Service obligations and for digital literacy training. ISF is also developing a MOOC training curriculum on how women can use digital tools for their empowerment, which will be rolled out in national ICT centres.
AE Tech Consulting | Côte d’Ivoire
AE Tech Consulting is conducting new research towards a Women’s Rights Online Digital Gender Gap Audit for Côte d’Ivoire, as well as collecting new primary data through focus group discussions and a survey on the status of women and ICT in Côte d’Ivoire. The research will be shared through a campaign and blog series.
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) | Ghana
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) held a national forum to launch the results of Ghana’s Digital Gender Gap Audit and present policy options to close the gender digital divide. During the Forum, the Ministry of Communications, through the Deputy Minister launched Ghana’s WRO research and pledged the Ministry’s commitment to promoting women’s rights online. MFWA is working with women’s rights groups, digital rights organisations, and the media to ensure implementation of government commitments to digital gender equality.
International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) | Kenya
The International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT-K) launched Kenya’s Digital Gender Gap Audit with leaders and ICT industry stakeholders. The forum was co-convened with the World Wide Web Foundation, the US Embassy and UNESCO, and was attended by the Ministry of ICT, Communications Authority, National Gender and Equality Commission, civil society, academia and media among other ICT stakeholders. IAWRT-K also convened regional training events to sensitise women in local government, media and community leaders in Kisumu and Mombasa on using ICT strategically to amplify their voices, engage with constituents, and to advocate for gender responsive ICT policymaking and budgeting in local governments. Another training will be held in Nakuru later this year.
Science Innovation Information and Communication Technology Research Institute (SIITRI) | Mozambique
SIITRI held a high level national forum to launch Mozambique’s Digital Gender Gap Audit and present a policy action plan to government, media and industry stakeholders. During the event the Mozambique National Director of ICT at the Ministry of Science and Technology stated that the Women’s Rights Online research and action plan constitutes a great step forward in eliminating gender barriers to internet access. The National Director for Primary Education at the Ministry of Education and Human Development committed to collaborate with SIITRI to organise seminars on the gender digital divide in secondary schools, as well as to organise an NGO forum with women’s organisations on the topic.
Paradigm Initiative | Nigeria
Paradigm Initiative (PI) launched WRO research on digital gender gap in Nigeria, engaging the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Ministry of Communications on an action plan to close the ICT gender gap. Paradigm Initiative held a popular session on deliberating ‘Gender Equality in a Digital Age’ during Social Media Week in Lagos, and another workshop on International Women’s Day with women’s rights groups, CSOs and journalists to train participants on ICT policy issues as core concerns for women’s economic and political empowerment.
Women in Tech Cape Town (WITCPT) | South Africa
Women in Tech Cape Town (WITCPT) are working to collect data on women in the ICT industry in South Africa to set concrete targets and monitor gender equality in the industry. Research includes a desktop study and a survey to collect primary data on women/girls educated in tech, women working in tech, and women founded tech companies in South Africa. Web Foundation is collaborating as a partner in the project.
Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) | Uganda
Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) hosted a Women’s Rights Online awareness raising workshop to present results of the Uganda Digital Gender Gap Audit and WRO research to government representatives. As a result of their engagement with policymakers, the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development has invited WOUGNET to join the Gender Based Violence Reference Group and lead a team on gender and ICT for women’s empowerment.
MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA
Tadwein Gender Research Centre | Egypt
Tadwein Gender Research Centre is developing a training module on digital security, spreading awareness on digital security among women and vulnerable groups in Egypt, and advancing knowledge and skills to prevent and respond to online bullying and sexual harassment. Tadwein continues to build partnerships with relevant governmental bodies on combating online bullying and harassment and institutional responses.
ASIA
IT for Change | India
Through their project Online freedom for all = No unfreedom for women IT for Change is working towards strengthening the legal-institutional response to technology-mediated violence against women in India and in Bangladesh. They developed a discussion paper on key themes, convened a pre-consultation meeting with leading scholars, practitioners and women’s rights lawyers in India and have developed a position paper on platform responsibility and content regulation. They are planning to ring out a think-piece series in the coming months. The project will culminate in a campaign and national consultation in India. IT for Change is planning to extend the project to Bangladesh.
ICT Watch | Indonesia
ICT Watch conducted a Digital Gender Gap Audit which was launched in a Forum on Women’s Rights Online in Indonesia, hosted in partnership with the Jakarta Open Data Lab.
Sinar Project | Malaysia
Sinar Project is working to convene regional dialogues on women’s digital rights with a focus on empowering women in marginalised communities. They led a panel discussion on this topic at RightsCon and a workshop in collaboration with Youth For Rights at the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum.
Myanmar ICT for Development Organisation (MIDO) | Myanmar
Myanmar ICT for Development Organisation (MIDO) is undertaking a Digital Gender Gap Audit. The research will serve as a key output of the Data and Research working group of the Alliance for Affordable Internet Myanmar multi-stakeholder coalition. MIDO will use the WRO research to engage with relevant ministries, civil society organizations and tech communities on policy solutions to close the digital gender gap.
Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) | Philippines
Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) held a national forum to launch the Philippines Digital Gender Gap Audit with representatives from the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. FMA has also engaged with the National Privacy Commission and the Philippine Commission on Women on mapping online gender based violence, and on online privacy and digital security. FMA also conducted a successful training on Digital Security and Online Safety for 23 women human rights defenders. They plan to conduct a gender audit of government website and e-services.
LATIN AMERICA
Fundación Karisma | Colombia
Fundación Karisma has been working directly with women of Potosí neighborhood in Ciudad Bolivar, one of the areas surveyed in the Women’s Rights Online household research in Bogotá. Karisma hosted five workshops with women in the community to reflect on Colombia’s digital agenda and to identify policy solutions to empower women through technology from their perspective. Together with a community based organisation, Ojo al Sancocho, Fundación Karisma has been working with women of Potosí to create a documentary film capturing both the techno-policy workshops and presentation of policy recommendations by women directly to representatives of the Women’s Secretariat and the High Council of ICT of Bogotá. The documentary will be aired in October in a local cinema built by the community of Potosí, and in local and regional film festivals.
Sulá Batsú | Costa Rica
Sula Batsu is undertaking a Digital Gender Gap Audit in Costa Rica. They will collaboratively analyze the results of this research with women community leaders and actors working on empowering women and girls through technology. Sula Batsu will disseminate the final research through a national launch event with public policy and civil society stakeholders later this year.
Coalición Dominicana para una Internet Asequible | Dominican Republic
The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) national coalition in the Dominican Republic is completing a digital gender gap audit and will use the findings to inform discussions on integrating gender in ICT policies and monitoring progress toward gender targets. This work will be sustained by a dedicated working group within the A4AI-Dominican Republic coalition.
Derechos Digitales | Mexico
Derechos Digitales is embarking on new research towards a Women’s Rights Online Digital Gender Gap Audit for Mexico. The research will be disseminated amongst members of civil society, journalists, and with members of the public who will be engaged in policy dialogue as key advocates for digital gender equality in Mexico.
Tedic | Paraguay
TEDIC recently joined the Women’s Rights Online network and is working to bring gender to the front of ICT policymaking debates including on questions of privacy, public interest, freedom of expression and digital inclusion. TEDIC is working on developing a Digital Gender Gap Audit for Paraguay.