Global progress on gender equality is under threat. We are living in an era where major political and social shifts are resulting in new forces that are visibly pushing back to reverse the many gains made for women’s rights and shrink the civic space. This patriarchal backlash is escalating globally. It aims to ‘other’, demonize and disempower those who seek to advance gender justice, and to re-valorize patriarchal traditional gender roles and stereotypes, founded on male supremacy and the subordination of women.
Gender backlash persists as a significant issue in hindering the achievement of gender equality. This backlash encompasses various forms directed at feminist activists and defenders, including the use of language, phrases, and images that objectify women, strict regulation related to gender equality, reproductive rights, media misrepresentation, backlash
against women in leadership and censorship of discussions on gender activism.
While the internet continues to serve as a vital tool for feminist organizations to counter backlash, there has been insufficient effort to ensure that communication platforms protect the freedom of speech, expression and organising online. Gender equality can only be achieved when we counter backlash and/or advocate for women’s rights governing feminists organising online and shrinking civic spaces.
On Friday 19th April 2024, at Fairway Hotel, Kampala, WOUGNET conducted digital security training under the Counter Backlash Project. The training aimed to empower gender justice advocates and counter-backlash actors to safeguard themselves and their work, while also resisting online gender backlash (related to feminist organising and shrinking civic space). Additionally, this involved identifying the risks and strategies employed by stakeholders to counter backlash within the feminists organising online community, and in the context of shrinking civic space.
The attendees included representatives from civil society organisations, Human Rights Defenders, advocates for gender justice, individuals countering backlash, female journalists, and regulators of online spaces. The digital security training was customised to address the specific needs of these participants, equipping them with techniques to counter backlash in digital environments. Additionally, the workshop served as a platform for participants to highlight significant backlash issues and ongoing cases in Uganda, contributing crucial insights to WOUGNET’s research on gender backlash and its countermeasures. This research aims to enhance the understanding of contextual factors shaping backlash in Uganda, particularly within the context of the shrinking civic space and feminists organising online.
While digital security trainings may not completely eradicate online gender backlash, it represents a crucial component counter-backlash actors can leverage to combat digital threats effectively. Participants were guided through various aspects of cyber security, gaining insights into online gender backlash, device safety and security, strategies for digital protection, digital hygiene practices, secure communication methods, threat response techniques, resilience-building approaches, case studies, and a comprehensive question-and-answer session. The participants demonstrated significant improvement in their digital security skills. This was evidenced by a noticeable increase in scores between the pre-training and post-training evaluations. The training effectively boosted their competence in this critical area.
Digital security trainings play a crucial role in mitigating backlash and fostering a secure digital environment for advocates of gender justice. WOUGNET remains committed to conducting these trainings for partners, members, and allies to contribute to a safe online environment for women and girls.
Link: https://x.com/wougnet/status/1780827793065984356
Group photo of participants at the end of the training session
Authors: Peter Ongom and Irene Marunga
