Global Voices Summit 2024 public days. Photo used with permission.

By Kelly Chaib De Mares

The “Strong Female Ledes” panel at the Global Voices Summit 2024 in Kathmandu brought together a dynamic group of women to explore the pivotal role they play in fostering a diverse and inclusive media landscape. Moderated by Di Luong, the GV Operations Manager and an expert connecting the dots between social justice and technology, the discussion emphasized the relationship between journalists and activists with technology and the nuances of reporting on women and feminist issues. Guided by a vision for inclusivity, the panel provided a platform for exchanging perspectives on how individuals can move forward and shape the future of the profession and the digital space.

“Stories can change lives”

Cecilia Maundu, an African Union Media Fellow and host of the “Digital Dada Podcast,” is a prominent advocate against tech-facilitated gender-based violence targeting women and girls. She challenges the misconception that online violence is not “real violence” and has empowered women in over nine African countries — spanning Francophone and Anglophone regions — through the Safe Sisters Program, which integrates digital security into their lives.

Expressing concern about the growing toxicity of digital spaces, Cecilia highlighted how this environment pushes younger women to self-censor online. She stressed that the internet is a powerful amplifier of voices and stories, warning that failing to adapt to its potential risks silencing critical narratives.

Using Kenya as an example, Cecilia pointed out how vague cyber laws fail to define or contextualize online harassment, often prioritizing freedom of expression over accountability. This ambiguity discourages victims from reporting cases, leaving them vulnerable. She emphasized the need for a multi-stakeholder approach involving academia, government, and civil society to ensure women journalists can work safely and effectively.

When the discussion shifted to the importance of storytelling, Cecilia highlighted the need for journalists to make sure the stories are told, effectively packaging them to engage viewers quickly while offering victims a sense of empowerment. Instead of perpetuating a victim narrative, the goal should be to inspire hope for solutions.

Cecilia envisions a future where women are more active and visible online, confidently sharing their opinions without the fear of victimization. Her aspirations include closing the digital gender divide, fostering healthier conversations, and empowering women journalists to see technology not just as a tool but as an ally. She urges women to not only embrace digital platforms but also to champion and spread awareness of their transformative value in their work and communities.

“Digital spaces are one of the major, if not primary, medium of engagement”

Dovan Rai is a computer scientist and the Executive Director at Body and Data, a non-profit organization dedicated to digital rights and fostering a feminist internet. She works to make digital infrastructure accessible — both in terms of physical access and digital literacy — while ensuring it is safe for all, with a particular focus on marginalized communities, including women, queer individuals, LGBTQ+ people, religious and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. “Women activists and journalists are our community, our collaborators, our resource people, and our warriors,” she says. 

With AI, technology becomes more complex and often more intimidating, so we encourage women to cultivate a confident and assertive relationship with it. The infrastructure itself presents significant challenges, as algorithms often reflect specific mindsets and biases that favour certain communities over others. To create a safe online space for women, we must design it thoughtfully — both in terms of hardware and algorithms — to ensure it is a fair space that amplifies their voices, rather than suppressing or marginalizing them. This is our collective mission as journalists, activists, technologists, policymakers, and members of society. 

Whether writing stories on her “sort of quirky” blog, or as a GV contributor, or as a Communications Officer at Crate Love Life, a breastfeeding support start-up, Candice K. Stewart describes her work as informative, explorative and educational, telling stories telling stories that amplify the voices of women and girls — stories that inspire others to reflect, to empathize, and perhaps even to recognize their own experiences or those of people they know who are currently facing similar struggles.

Candice reflected on the gender inequality in Jamaica, a matriarchal society where women head most households and make up 60 percent of the workforce. Despite their leadership roles, women face a lack of respect and support, with one in four experiencing domestic violence and 25 percent suffering sexual abuse by non-intimate partners.

Candice shared the inspiring story of her first contribution to Global Voices, highlighting how resilience ensures important stories are told:

A little over a year ago, I was working in a newsroom and pitched a story to my male editor about the experiences of women and girls during their periods when there is no water or during droughts. My editor laughed and dismissed it, saying, ‘Nobody wants to hear that story.’ It was infuriating. How dare he, as a man, tell me — a woman — that such a story isn’t worth telling? Undeterred, I pitched the story to Global Voices, and not only was it published, but it was also translated into three or four other languages. That experience was incredibly uplifting. It showed me that an idea, dismissed as insignificant by one person, could be celebrated and valued elsewhere.

She advised reporters covering gender and feminist issues to focus on telling personal stories of individuals affected by negative situations. However, these stories should be supported by context, data, and figures. Combining facts with firsthand experiences helps to illustrate that gender-based violence is a widespread issue occurring in many cases. She also emphasizes the importance of never losing sight of the need to tell these stories.

Irina Matvienko, a feminist activist, journalist and gender expert from Uzbekistan, shared how her independent media project Nemolchi.uz (“Don't Be Silent”) has achieved important successes for behavioral and legislative changes, including the adoption of amendments related to increasing penalties for sexual violence and criminalizing domestic violence in Uzbekistan in 2023:

As a journalist, I observed that while media might report on cases of gender-based violence, the attention often waned after a day or a few hours due to the influx of other news. I believed that raising awareness required consistent daily attention. I created a Facebook page to share information about gender-based violence. We operate at the intersection of media and NGOs. 

She shared that in Uzbekistan, NGOs are under the control of the Ministry of Justice, limiting their ability to engage in advocacy. Therefore she shifted her focus toward media education and advocacy. Her organization shares investigations, stories, research, advice, and recommendations with media groups around key issues such as gender bias and violence. She herself has faced countless instances of online harassment and abuse, however, she sees the tide changing. She said:

This approach has driven significant social change spending hours trying to emphasize that blaming women is unacceptable and that we must support one another. For two weeks, I couldn’t even pick up my phone, but when I finally returned to Facebook, I saw that followers were defending women in the comments. I realized that I had indeed helped drive social change, building a strong community. Now, when I see comments blaming women, I simply wait for our followers to respond.

Her advice to women's rights defenders is to prioritize self-care: “From personal experience, I know that if we lack resources, energy, or face challenges with our physical or mental health, we cannot effectively help others.”