Why is it Important to have Women Involved in Community Network Initiatives
Community networks are community-led initiatives that involve coming together to install, operate, and maintain a telecommunications network that answers the needs or wants of a local community. Community Networks are about people taking power into their own hands to connect themselves and others around them to the internet. Community networks are a way to bridge the digital divide and a great way to connect the unconnected and those in underserved and unserved areas.
It is important to have women involved in community network initiatives for several reasons:
Addressing the digital gender divide: Women and girls are disproportionately affected by limited access to technology and the internet. By involving women in community network initiatives, we can help bridge the digital gender divide and ensure that everyone has access to the benefits of the internet.
Inclusivity: Women bring unique perspectives and experiences, which can help to ensure that community networks are inclusive and meet the diverse needs of the community.
Empowerment and agency: When women are active participants in community network initiatives, they gain access to information and resources that can help them improve their lives and the lives of those around them. This can lead to increased agency and empowerment for women.
Representation and diversity: Including women in community network initiatives help ensure that the needs and perspectives of half of the population are taken into account and not overlooked. This can result in more equitable and inclusive networks that better serve all members of the community.
Improved sustainability: Community network initiatives are often led and maintained by local communities. When women are active participants, they can bring a unique perspective and skills to the table, which can help make the network more sustainable in the long term.
Building stronger communities: When women are included and actively engaged in community network initiatives, they can help build stronger and more resilient communities. This is because they often have a deep understanding of the social dynamics of the community and can help to identify and address key issues.
Creating safe spaces: Online harassment and violence against women is a prevalent issue. By involving women in the community network space, they can help create safer online spaces for everyone.
Innovation and creativity: Women bring different perspectives and ideas to the table, which can lead to more innovative and creative solutions to the challenges faced by community networks.
Photo: Ms. Josephine Miliza, a digital inclusion and community networks champion passionate about supporting communities to build resilient and scalable bottom-up connectivity models. She is among the pioneers of the community network movement in Africa and has co-founded T-NET, a community network in Kibera, Nairobi Kenya. Josephine serves as Africa regional coordinator for the Association of Progressive Communications-LOCNET project hosted by the Kenya ICT Action Network (KictaNet) in Kenya. This project aims to contribute to an enabling ecosystem for the emergence and growth of community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives in the global south.
Josephine is actively involved in promoting the community networks movement in Africa participating in organizing the Africa community networks summit, awareness building, capacity building, and policy advocacy forums. Her current interests are in bottom-up sustainable connectivity models and creative approaches to an enabling environment that fosters resilience and innovation for communities in Africa.
In conclusion, the future of community networks in Kenya is promising, and women have a critical role to play in ensuring their success. By including women in the planning and implementation of community networks and addressing the barriers to their participation, the potential of community networks to bridge the digital divide and ensuring meaningful connectivity in the underserved and unserved areas can be realized.
