Lomé: In Africa and beyond, societies are undergoing a rapid digital transformation that carries significant risks, particularly affecting women more than men. Citizen vulnerability to cyber attacks is a pressing concern that necessitates inclusive solutions.
According to Global Voices, Togolese lawyer and digital rights expert Winnie Aicha Tchedre underscores the importance of gender-inclusive digital education. Tchedre, who specializes in training and raising awareness on cyber hygiene and technological education, emphasizes the need for a strong presence of girls in training sessions. She believes that successful digital education can empower women economically by improving their access to information, online marketplaces, administration, teleworking, and telemedicine.
Tchedre highlights that gender inclusion requires a structured approach, involving early collection of gender-disaggregated data to address the real needs and barriers affecting women. Projects like the West African Regional Communication Infrastructure Programme (WARCIP) incorporate components for women's access to training. Inclusive design, such as creating interfaces in local languages, is essential for ensuring women’s understanding and mastery of digital tools.
Women face substantial barriers in accessing digital technologies, including sociocultural obstacles in Togo that perpetuate the notion that women do not belong in the digital world. They often lack knowledge beyond social networks and face unaffordable internet costs. Security concerns, like online violence and harassment, further hinder their digital participation.
Stereotypes exacerbate digital inequalities, confining women to domestic roles and reinforcing prejudices. Algorithmic biases also marginalize women, affecting search results, job suggestions, and advertising. Although platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer reporting mechanisms for harassment, awareness of such rights remains low.
While enforcing gender equality laws in the digital sphere is challenging, regional initiatives like the Maputo Protocol and the African Union Gender Policy aim to create an inclusive digital environment. Some countries, including Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and Benin, have laws criminalizing gender-based digital violence. However, proactive laws specifically guaranteeing equal access are limited, underscoring the need for binding regulations and strengthened measures against discriminatory biases.