Women

A woman writes on poster paper stuck on the wall

Uplifting the Voices of Women by Supporting their Physical Safety and Digital Security

Iraq is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists according to Reporters without Borders, ranking 160 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index. Women journalists and activists in Iraq have a particularly difficult time due to online threats and attacks that adversely affect their ability to express themselves freely and advocate effectively. Women have witnessed an escalation in online abuse over the past few years, not just in numbers, but also in methods and sophistication. The risk of harassment and gender-based attacks online is not limited to the digital space as research has shown that online abuse and stalking often escalate into real world physical violence if left unaddressed. In an interview with The New Arab, Hala ‘Asif, a 24-year-old journalist working as a correspondent for the channel NRT in Baghdad, noted that, "Foreign journalists often investigate political affairs in Iraq, which sometimes is impossible for us to cover as it would be too dangerous and would prevent us from working safely in our country. I would like to go to other provinces in Iraq and carry out investigations about relevant issues, but as a young woman it would cost too much to take care of my safety." To address the issue of women’s safety in Iraq, Internews is using a multi-pronged approach – building local networks, coordinating advocacy, and conducting targeted journalism trainings on gender-sensitive issues. Internews’ program, Women Voices (Aswat Al-Maraa), aims to challenge societal attitudes that stigmatize survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) by supporting journalists and women human rights defenders to shed light on sensitive issues through coordinated reporting and advocacy. The program works with female Iraqi journalists and media outlets to create a nationwide coalition of women journalists and human rights defenders to strengthen their resilience against gender-based attacks and build the capacity of journalists to report on sensitive human rights and SGBV. Within the Women's Voices project, Internews has conducted so far two training-of-trainers (TOT) workshops that focus on the digital and physical security of the project participants. Through a peer-to-peer program, TOT trainees have trained eighty women from Erbil, Najaf, and Halabja how to protect themselves from threats online and in their everyday lives. Best practices for password security proved to be one of the most beneficial portions of the workshops, with one of the Halabja participants noting, "It has been 10 years and I haven't changed my password on my email or Facebook accounts. This workshop was in particularly important to remind people in our field of work how important it is to protect ourselves online as we do offline." Another participant, from the Erbil workshop, said, "Females often have to face extreme scrutiny of their presence online, and are threatened with death in some instances for photos posted online without family consent or that are considered inappropriate; these kinds of workshops are incredibly important for every female in this country." To support the voices and participation of women in some of the world’s most challenging places, Internews' MENA team ensures the implementation of digital as well as a physical security trainings in all of its projects across the region.

A woman walks alone on a beach; a boat floats in the water

Treading Forbidden Grounds

When a group of 20 women living in Pemba, Zanzibar started a diving business to provide for their families, people started asking questions. In Zanzibar, women are expected to stay home taking care of their husbands and children. Defying expectations, the divers are proving that women can be entrepreneurs too. The divers shared their stories with journalists who work for community radio stations and are participating in Internews’ Boresha Habari (Better News) project. Ali Mwadini, Internews media trainer in Zanzibar, supports four community radio stations and guides journalists in story mapping, identifying their audiences, and sharpening their interviewing skills. Journalists also learn the necessary skills to cover gender issues in their reporting, challenging stereotypes and highlighting women as drivers of change. They are trained in in-depth coverage of issues such as gender-based violence, early marriage, and family abandonment. Zuwena Iddi Ali, the Chairperson of the women’s diving cooperative, was invited by Mwadini to tell her story at a training for community radio journalists. Married with six children, Ali goes to fishing camps and deep diving every month for eight to ten days and earns up to $40 from selling her catch. Her income helped pay for a new roof for her house and a sewing machine for her daughter. Women in Pemba are making a living through diving, defying local expectations.The women’s husbands when interviewed said that while they were initially concerned about their wives’ new endeavors, they soon saw the positive impact the activity had on their families. Additionally, the community’s Imam explained from a religious perspective that women can take part in business, pointing out that the prophet Mohamed’s wife was an entrepreneur. Following the training, Haji Nassor Mohammed, a journalist working with Zanzibar Leo Newspaper, wrote a story on the divers, which was published in September. The story drew mixed reaction from community members, which roughly fell into two groups. Some people felt that husbands in Pemba were falling short in fulfilling their families’ daily needs thus forcing women like Zuwena to engage in work that was previously a taboo for women. This group wanted journalists to write stories that would encourage husbands to take more responsibility to provide for their families. Others praised Zuwena as a courageous woman who was proving that being a woman is not a barrier to engaging in economic activities. They see Zuwena as a role model to the change that Pemba needs. Some members of a WhatsApp group for journalists from Zanzibar praised the journalists telling the story of the divers as good for women’s empowerment, and that Zuwena’s activities would encourage other women. Mwadini stresses that it’s important to train journalists to report stories that go against societal norms in order to challenge how people think about issues, particularly when it comes to women’s roles and their treatment. Internews’ project in Tanzania, Boresha Habari, is funded by USAID, and implemented in partnership with FHI 360. It seeks to support an open, inclusive environment in which media and civil society provide accurate and impartial information that promotes participation, inclusion, and accountability. A core focus of this activity is the engagement and empowerment of women and youth in order to elevate their voices, influence, and issues in the public sphere as both producers and consumers of information. (Banner image: A woman walks on the beach in Zanzibar. Credit Paolo Lucciola/CC)

A woman speaks into a microphone in a radio studio

Profile: Farida Rahim Azizi, Radio Director, Afghanistan

Ever since Farida Rahim Aziz first established her radio station in 2013 in Jowzjan, Afghanistan, she has never looked back – even though the years that followed were burdened with hardship and challenges. “In 2016, the Taliban threatened me and told me to stop broadcasting radio programs about women’s right issues, such as violence against women. I was forced to wear a burqa for my own safety and all our female employees left. But I did not give up.” Farida had to relocate the station multiple times, but under her leadership, Radio Saraish continues, producing content and broadcasting to audiences in Jowzjan and Sar-e-Pul. Radio Saraish is one of the 17 women-led radio stations of the Salam Watandar Radio Network, supported by Internews’ Rasana Program. These stations have produced and broadcast more than 400 radio reports and feature stories, covering topics that relate to women in local communities. “The support of the Rasana program was very important, as it gave us an opportunity to recruit a female journalist and build her capacity to reflect the voices of women in our community. The reports we have produced under Rasana so far have had tangible impact on our society and brought change in the minds of people, as they all focus on women’s issues,” said Farida. “For example, when we broadcast a report on women drivers and the absence of driving schools for women in Jowzjan, it created great interest. Some weeks later a driver training course was conducted for women from which 30 passed out successfully – the first female drivers of Jowzjan!” “These are the achievements that motivate me to keep running the radio station even though we often face difficult times due to security issues or financial problems. In the meantime, I will continue to work as a leader of women in the media and encourage other Afghan women to do the same.” • • • Internews’ Rasana project in Afghanistan is supported by USAID. (Banner photo: Farida Rahim Azizi, Director of Radio Saraish in Jowzjan Province, Afghanistan. Credit: Internews)

A woman types on a laptop, while two men and another woman watch.

From Student to Social Innovator

When Lima Madomi was a computer student in Afghanistan, she set her sights on becoming a technologist, despite living in an environment where few women get such chances. Now, she has not only become accomplished in her field, she’s gone further and become a well-recognized social innovator. Lima’s journey was supported by her participation in iLabs, an Internews project that convenes local experts in the fields of ICT, media, government, and civil society to work collaboratively to identify technology solutions to social problems. Lima, who was a budding social innovator in her own right, participated in the 2017 iLabs, and has since gone on to turn some of the social innovation ideas conceived into actual products that address social change. At the 2018 Social Innovation Conference, organized by TechNation in partnership with Internews to mark four years of iLabs, Lima was one of four female alumni who were selected to present their experiences. “iLabs gave me the platform to network with other developers and join forces to turn our ideas into actual products,” said Lima. A primary approach of iLabs was to put female developers on equal footing with their male counterparts. “There are not enough spaces where young female innovators can come together to learn and develop. It was at the iLabs that I got empowered to actually start developing workable solutions to the identified problem statements,” said Lima. The Social Innovation Conference also featured a Master Class and Global Showcase by two acclaimed social innovators from the sub-region. “I was very inspired by the stories of products being developed by other young women like me in Pakistan, India, and Bahrain, among others. I felt that this is only the beginning of what I, a female social innovator, can do here in Afghanistan.” Developing Innovative Resources for Local Needs Lima is now turning her attention to two products she has been developing over the past couple of months – an online bookshop, and a database of resources for local technologists. “As a woman, I’m able to develop solutions that take the unique challenges of Afghan girls into account, hence an e-shop where I could safely connect book lovers such as myself. The iLabs platform taught us how to take the context into consideration and develop products that respond to the needs of our target group, which is what I’m doing now.” Lima also drew her inspiration from homegrown products by Afghan female innovators just like herself: “To see other women who started out like me, showcasing their products that have made the news internationally, such as Asan-UP and Hujj Rahnuma, was a big inspiration for me.” Other young women in Lima’s cohort who have been able to benefit from the iLabs platform include Nargis Qaderi, who developed the winning App Hidden Angels to help local charities securely and ethically track and monitor the street children they support. • • • Innovation Labs (iLabs) was launched and is managed by Internews under the USAID-funded Afghan Civic Engagement Program (ACEP), co-implemented with Counterpart International.

Two groups of students, male and female, stand on the grass under a tree.

Sexual Harassment Limits Women’s Advancement in Tanzanian Media

This disturbing claim, and many others like it, surfaced in research commissioned by Internews in Tanzania on women’s role in media in the country. Women who aim for media careers face rampant discrimination, a lack of opportunities, and demands for transactional sex. These threats aren’t just in the workplace, but often face university students as well. “One of our goals is to empower women journalists to become editors,” said Angela Nicoara, Internews Chief of Party in Tanzania. Internews’ Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy prioritizes work that transforms relationships of power and advances women’s roles in media. “But our conversations with women showed that sexual exploitation at universities, including journalism schools, and in media houses was seen as a main obstacle of being employed or promoted.” University students and lecturers reported that transactional or coerced sex between female students and male lecturers occurs with some frequency. A female student stated that she received a failing grade from a male lecturer because she had refused his sexual advances. Some universities in Tanzania have sexual harassment explicitly included in their code of conduct, while others do not. Many students and lecturers alike were not sure if their school had a sexual harassment policy and where to go to report sexual misconduct, and agreed that the problem isn’t talked about publicly. So Internews collaborated with the University of Dar es Salaam to create public service announcement videos (PSAs) that raised the topic. One video opens with the question: “How do we combat Sexual Harassment?” “First, we talk about it. The issue of sexual harassment is like a taboo. It’s been talked behind closed doors … in low voices,” says Sophia Ndibalema, Assistant Lecturer at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at UDSM, in the PSA. The PSAs discuss different forms harassment can take, and assert that students should not stay silent about the topic. “If you experience or see sexual harassment, speak up. Someone will listen,” ends one PSA. The videos are intended as a jumping off point for further discussion and action. In June Internews will convene a roundtable at the university with students, women lawyers and women activists to discuss the next steps of a campaign. “Our goal is spark more conversation and support local CSOs that take the lead in raising awareness and changing the dynamic for women journalism students and professionals,” said Nicoara. Key Findings: Gender Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Derails Careers Excerpted from the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Analysis Report, conducted by FHI 360 in partnership with Internews Women are less likely than men to pursue higher level journalism diplomas and degrees Women and men are segmented into different journalism career paths: Men occupy more prestigious reporting positions, while women are lower-level reporters or presenters with little decision-making power. Women’s domestic responsibilities reduce opportunities to participate in work and school Female students who live at home, and women professionals generally, are responsible for domestic tasks such cooking, cleaning, and caring for children or younger siblings. Perceptions of women and men in media affect their career success: Men are perceived as adventurous, proactive, and decisive. Women are perceived as having little self-confidence, both as media professionals and sources of information. Negative stereotypes about women journalists create gender-segregated workstreams Many people have a perception that women are not capable of reporting on “hard” news or doing “tough” assignments. Perception of danger inhibits skill-building opportunities for female journalism students Campus TV/radio studios and computer lab are dominated by male students and lecturers, and female students may fear harassment or be prohibited by their families from staying after hours to build or practice skills in these spaces. Toxic masculinity reinforces sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) throughout media and journalism . . . Internews’ work with media and civil society in Tanzania is supported by USAID and implemented in partnership with FHI 360.

Four young Afghan women look at a cell phone in one of the girl's hands.

In Study of Social Media in Afghanistan, Women Report Mixed Feelings

Wedding invitations in Afghanistan don’t bear the names of the women invited – they are only invited under the name of their husbands, or male relatives. In markets, women’s names are not spoken. Even on burial tombs, a woman may be referred to only as the wife or daughter of a man, not by her own name. With the hashtag #whereismyname, Tahmina Arian and a group of friends – young, newly graduated Afghan women – rallied attention to this common practice last summer on Facebook and Twitter, starting a conversation in the country and protesting the Afghan custom of erasing women's names. Social media is still in its infancy in Afghanistan, with a small and mostly homogenous user base of educated, relatively wealthy, predominately male users and only hundreds of Afghanistan-based public Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. But while small, it holds opportunity for engagement and expression. Without any trappings of traditional power or social capital, the group of young women started a public debate they would otherwise have no means to convene, without the platform offered by social media. These opportunities are among the findings revealed in a new report, Social Media in Afghanistan: Users and Engagement, prepared by Altai Consulting for Internews. By mapping Afghan influencers online and surveying users about their comfort with, reasons for, and use of social media, the report paints a picture and offers a deep repository of data on the changing nature of social media in Afghanistan and how it may shape public discourse in the future. Women’s Rights and Social Engagement Tahmina and the women behind #whereismyname are new to protests, but activists with years of experience have found similar power in expanding their advocacy online. Wazhma Frogh, a women’s rights activist, member of the High Peace Council, and the director of the Research Institute for Women, Peace and Security, uses Twitter not only to bring to light women’s rights issues in Afghanistan, but to share her views on other current events in the country with her 97,000 followers. She started using Twitter during 2013’s Open Jirga, when citizens could use their Facebook and Twitter platforms to submit questions for the televised debates. Wazhma said that in 2013 political representation was still scant on Twitter, but since then she notes that all relevant political stakeholders in Afghanistan have grown accustomed to using Twitter, an observation backed up in the report, which identifies Twitter as a more “official” channel dominated by politicians and media accounts. For Wazhma, this means that her words carry weight and legitimacy; other members of the peace council are aware of the reach of her voice on social media. It can be difficult to enumerate how social campaigns affect change directly, but they can create conversations that with momentum can translate to real life interactions. Indicative of the nascent relationship between online and traditional media in Afghanistan, Wazhma can point to TV and radio interviews that have resulted because of topics she’s posted about online. Harassment and Violence Online At the same time, the opportunities for women’s engagement online run parallel to a harsh reality for women in Afghanistan – intense harassment is prevalent for women, shapes their interactions online and offline, and shows little sign of abatement. Social media users in Afghanistan routinely make derogatory, discriminatory or even violent comments in reaction to certain content. Tahmina of the #whereismyname campaign receives lurid messages from strangers constantly and has been groped in the street. Wazhma regularly receives threats. They aren’t the only women to experience online harassment – it is so prevalent that women in universities do not share their real names in class, as they do not want men to harass them or find them again online, where social media is routinely used to question a woman’s integrity and respectability. And for the majority of women who are more private users of social media, using the platforms not for advocacy but for simple social interactions and information gathering, fears of public shaming or harassment, along with norms of Afghan society, shape their use. Indeed, almost 20% of female respondents declare being Friends only with same-sex relatives on Facebook – and 35% of female respondents declare only being Friends with relatives on Facebook. This reflects the well-documented wariness of Afghan women to interact with individuals beyond their direct family on social media, as they are targets of harassment. On the other hand, 67% of men declare being friends with a mixed-gender group of people that include both friends and family. The study’s findings suggest Afghan women have a complicated relationship with social media – they see the dangers, but also there is freedom for them on social media that simply isn’t available elsewhere. Social media is perceived to have had an overall positive effect on social issues by all private users surveyed, but perhaps surprisingly, women are more likely to perceive a positive effect than men. When it comes to privacy, 69% think it has had a positive effect on privacy, and again women are more likely to think so. This may be counterintuitive, as women are wary of having their information available online and feel vulnerable to harassment, but it also means there is an avenue for individuals to interact with people without the scrutiny of one’s family, for example. A Wider Snapshot of Social Media in Afghanistan Beyond gender dynamics, Social Media in Afghanistan: Users and Engagement is an unprecedented current examination of the development and influence of social media on open expression and social change in Afghan society. Findings, which can be explored more deeply in the report and accompanying data, include: Social media users are homogenous and concentrated on Facebook Users are predominantly young, urban and educated. Internet access remains the main barrier to social media access. 95% of social media users have a Facebook account. More than 80% of social media users access their accounts solely through their smartphone. Social media is filled with current affairs, but users would rather engage with entertainment and sports topics Media organizations have invested in social media enthusiastically as a new platform for their content, dominating the pages found online along with government, politics, and elections-related pages. The content that garners the most audience engagement, however, relates to sports, entertainment or national pride Social media is an extension of one’s private network first and a source of information second Interaction is primarily with existing family and friends, limiting direct engagement with individuals and ideas outside of established social networks. Awareness of content related to current affairs is high; mobilization through social media is much lower Mobilizing users through social media for a specific cause faces many hurdles, but the practice of reporting wrongdoing through social media is common and is the most direct impact social media has on Afghan society. For example, 62% surveyed believe social media has had a positive effect on corruption, which is frequently reported on social media. . . . Social Media in Afghanistan: Users and Engagement was produced by Altai Consulting for Internews, with support from Counterpart International under the USAID-funded Afghan Civic Engagement Program (ACEP). Laura Lindamood is Internews Director of Communications.

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