Women have always had to go the extra mile before they can be heard in the society, Can The Internet Save Women? Women have to work harder than the average man to be acknowledged in their fields of study or chosen careers. For women to be included in major sectors of government and the economy, there has to be collective advocacy. This was demonstrated in the story of the Union of Icelandic women in the early 1970s when they refused to work until their salaries were equated men’s. They took this struggle throughout the nation and brought it to their individual homes until their plea was passed into law. This brought about their inclusion in politics and the other segments of the economy. In 1980 the first female president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland was elected.
Another story is the struggle of the Liberian women for the election of the first black female president. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf got into power in 2006 after Liberia came out of the very long war that ravaged the country. The women came together to make an agreement to usurp the men in power after they kept taunting them saying they were as good as their monthly cycle. These women got their men drunk, took their voters card and went to the streets to vote for Ellen. She won the seat and made the government a gender inclusive.
During #SMWLagos 2019, we asked the bold question: can the internet can save women?
The internet can save women if:
- Use the internet to bring together like-minded women that are committed to advocacy.
- The knowledge of the internet and trolls can be used to turn the cause around and use it to support the advocacy and make it visible to the target audience.
- Coalition groups must be built, which can be used to push agendas and help pass policies and bills into law.
- Advocates must be ready to educate and mentor others to ensure the there is continuity of advocacies and the struggle.
- Be conscious of what you support and be vigilant of the commitments you make. This helps your continued growth. Continue learning on Coursera and other free or affordable online learning portals.