IGF 2024 Lightning Talk #131 Role of Innovation in safeguarding women in Online Spaces

    SAFE ONLINE WOMEN KENYA (SOW-KE)

    Doreen Abiero, SafeOnline Women Kenya (SOW-Kenya);

    Lucy Mwaura, SafeOnline Women Kenya (SOW-Kenya); and

    Julie Radol, SafeOnline Women Kenya (SOW-Kenya)

     

    Speakers

    Doreen Abiero, SafeOnline Women Kenya (SOW-KE)

    Lucy Mwaura, SafeOnline Women Kenya (SOW-KE)

    Cherie Oyier, KICTANet

    Onsite Moderator

    Cherie Oyier, KICTANet

    Online Moderator

    Rebekah Muteti

    Rapporteur

    Julie Radol, SafeOnline Women, Kenya

    SDGs

    3. Good Health and Well-Being
    5. Gender Equality
    9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    10. Reduced Inequalities


    Targets: SDG 3: Our application SafeHer contributes to SDG 3 by promoting the physical and mental well-being of women and girls. It educates users on online safety best practices and provides a platform for reporting and addressing instances of gender-based violence, which can have significant negative impacts on victims' health.
    Further, the application offers resources such as contacts to counseling services and reporting mechanisms for victims thereby providing support and promoting their overall health and well-being.

    SDG 5: The SafeHer application directly aligns with SDG 5 by working to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence. By providing a tool specifically designed to address this issue, SafeHer contributes to creating a safer and more equal society.
    The application empowers women and girls to assert their rights and seek help when faced with online harassment, cyberstalking, or other forms of digital abuse. It also raises awareness about the prevalence of such violence and advocates for policy changes to combat it.

    SDG 9- Our proposal seeks to sensitize session participants and Internet governance stakeholders on the need to foster innovation to resolve gender-based online issues in the digital age.
    SafeHer leverages technology to address pressing social issues, demonstrating the potential of innovation to contribute to sustainable development. By providing a digital platform for reporting and responding to online gender-based violence, the app utilizes existing infrastructure such as smartphones and the internet to reach a wide audience.
    The app may also involve collaborations with technology companies, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations to enhance its effectiveness and accessibility, thereby contributing to the development of supportive infrastructure for addressing online gender-based violence.

    SDG 10: SafeHer aims to reduce inequalities by ensuring that women and girls have equal access to technology and are protected from digital forms of violence and harassment. By providing a tool that is specifically tailored to their needs and experiences, the app helps to address the unequal power dynamics that perpetuate online gender-based violence.
    The application also contributes to reducing inequalities by amplifying the voices of marginalized groups within the women's rights movement, including women of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women with disabilities, who may be disproportionately affected by technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

    Format

    The first five minutes, we shall begin by highlighting the problem the application is trying to solve. That is highlighting the prevalence of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including online harassment, cyberstalking, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

    The next fifteen minutes we shall do a deep-dive presentation on how the application works. This includes describing the key features of the app i.e., reporting tools, access to support networks, and resources for legal and psychological assistance. We shall also connect SafeHer's mission and objectives aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

    The final ten minutes we shall engage in a Q&A session with the participants and encourage the audience to support initiatives like SafeHer and take action to create a safer and more equitable online environment for everyone.

    Duration (minutes)
    30
    Description

    The session involves a presentation on the mobile application 'SafeHer' that can be used to address technology facilitated gender based violence against vulnerable groups including women and girls. The approach is to showcase the innovation to various stakeholders who can collaborate on the development of the application (https://sow-kenya.org/).

    The IGF Lightning Talks are fully in-person, however in the event that virtual spaces are included, we suggest the following: Interaction between onsite and online speakers and attendees can be facilitated by using the IGF preferred video conferencing software, ensuring good internet connectivity, and assigning moderators to manage discussions. Interactive features like live polling and Q&A sessions can also engage both groups. Design the session for accessibility by providing live captioning or translation services, establishing clear communication channels for remote participation, scheduling breaks for networking, and sharing materials beforehand. Complementary online tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Teams for collaborative note-taking, social media for discussions and updates, and audience response systems such as Mentimeter for polls can enhance participation and interaction.