15 Jan 2025 Nothing about us without us: Why digital justice requires communication rights

WACC partners met in Kathmandu, Nepal, last October to explore how communication rights are essential building blocks for social justice in our digital world. Here Forum participant Neema Majesia from KICTANet in Kenya reflects on her experiences and the event’s call to create a digital world based on communication for all.  

“Nothing about us without us.”

The words echoed through the room at the WACC Partner Forum as Lorenzo Vargas, the organization’s program manager for Communication for Social Change, presented the event’s agenda, objectives, and context, including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) and the Global Digital Compact.

We were gathered as WACC partner organizations to tackle an urgent issue of our time, communication rights. Together, we looked into the connections between these rights and social justice in today’s digital world, addressing a crucial question — how can we guarantee communication rights within an increasingly unequal digital landscape?

Lorenzo’s words captured a core belief that resonates with marginalized communities worldwide. This phrase, charged with a call for inclusivity, speaks to the challenges faced in societies with diverse cultural backgrounds, ethnic groups, and Indigenous populations.

The digital divide: A barrier to equity and opportunity

At its core, the digital divide represents inequality in access to digital resources. In Kenya, for instance, only some have access to smartphones, computers, or the internet, creating disparities in digital literacy.

While Kenya stands tall as East Africa’s digital and economic hub, rural areas, where over 70% of Kenyans reside, still lag when it comes to digital access. Internet access is scarce and online services remain out of reach.

This gap disproportionately affects women. Statistics show that Kenyan women are 50% less likely than men to use the internet for economic and political empowerment.

Cultural biases and systemic barriers limit women’s engagement in the digital sphere, creating a cycle of exclusion that curbs their voice and representation online. From online harassment to restricted job opportunities, women face numerous hurdles that men seldom encounter in the same environments.

Stories of resilience and exclusion

From the Philippines to Bosnia, narratives from the Forum highlighted the distinct experiences of women across regions.

In the Philippines, while the gender gap has narrowed, digital growth comes with its own set of cultural implications. For example, many feel technology has eroded cultural values, with government regulations dictating what local news is permissible.

Bosnia, too, struggles, with employment tied closely to government connections, stifling media independence and limiting opportunities for women.

This sense of exclusion isn’t limited to the workplace but extends into the online world, where many women journalists face harassment and threats. Social media, although a powerful tool for connection and self-expression, becomes a hostile space, pushing women away from visibility, safety, and justice. In Kenya, the prevalence of digital harassment and lack of accountability leaves women vulnerable, with little recourse.

Digital disparities: Root causes and impact on society

The digital divide’s evolution highlights not just access issues but the ability to effectively use technology.

Rural-urban disparities are stark in Kenya. Due to limited or no connectivity, rural communities — whether pastoralists or agriculturalists — struggle to utilize essential services like the mobile money service M-PESA for financial transactions, or online education and healthcare.

As these services become digitized, those without access are excluded, widening socioeconomic gaps.

Urban areas see faster broadband adoption and a higher rate of tech utilization, making it easier for urban residents to access services and opportunities denied to their rural counterparts.

How digital inequalities affect the digital sphere

In regions where digital literacy is low, marginalized communities, especially women, find their voices silenced. Job interviews or evaluations often place women in stereotyped “household” roles, reinforcing gender bias and limiting professional growth.

For digital creators, a lack of regulation and guidance means that content can sometimes clash with cultural values, further complicating digital representation. In the Middle East, for instance, content creators are required to hold licenses for their work, a move intended to maintain standards but which raises questions about freedom of expression.

The call to action for civil society organizations

“The solution to stop a baby from crying is not to pull it away,” noted Suman Basnet, director of Forum host AMARC Asia–Pacific, as he reflected on the discussions. His plea captures the urgency of action and underscores the need to address challenges not by avoiding them but by engaging with them.

Civil society organizations must champion policies and initiatives that bridge the digital divide and ensure inclusivity.

This means prioritizing affordable internet access, promoting digital literacy in rural areas, and creating safe spaces for women and marginalized groups online. It calls for policy reforms to protect women in the digital sphere, addressing issues like online harassment and exploitation.

Communication rights aren’t just abstract concepts — they’re essential pathways to inclusion, empowerment, and justice. Bridging the digital divide and fostering equal representation isn’t just an act of progress; it’s an act of compassion and commitment.

The voices at the WACC Forum call upon us to recognize that real change requires the inclusion of those directly affected by these issues. Let us build a digital world where every voice, every story, and every individual are represented — because nothing about us should ever be decided without us.

Neema Majesia, communications officer with KICTANet in Kenya, speaks during the WACC Partner Forum 2024 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo: Robert Bichler/AMARC AP

Organized in collaboration with AMARC Asia-Pacific, the WACC Partner Forum “Communication Rights: Building Blocks for Social Justice in a Digital World” brought together grassroots organizations from Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East on 22–25 October 2024 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The event was part of WACC’s Communication for All Program (CAP), with support from Bread for the World-Germany.