“I Realized I Could Be Heard”
Girl-talk-Girl: ICTs, Digital Storytelling, and Gender-Based Violence
Authors: Kristen Ali Eglinton, PhD (Footage Foundation), Antonina Tereshchenko, PhD (Footage Foundation/University College London Institute of Education), Kathryn Weenig (Footage Foundation)
Overview of the Girl-talk-Girl program
Footage Foundation (Footage), a non-profit based in the U.S., has been designing, conducting, scaling, and evaluating the “Girl-talk-Girl” international dialogue program and online platform (www.girltalkgirl.org) since 2014. Using the power of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and digital storytelling (DST), Girl-talk-Girl raises the voices of young women at risk of experiencing or subject to violence. Simultaneously, Girl-talk-Girl levels the inequalities that sustain gender-based violence (GBV) by building the capacities of young women in technology and leadership. The program and platform mitigate the harmful impacts of GBV by employing a conceptual framework that draws on the science of storytelling, compassion, and connection.
A measurable, scalable initiative for young women ages 15–35, Girl-talk-Girl has thus far reached and connected young women across the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, and Chile, using Footage’s narrative and dialogue methods, such as mVoiceWorks©. The methodology combines mobile DST (2–5 minute multimedia narratives) and human-centered design (HCD) (where user needs are prioritized in the production of local technology). Following awareness, advocacy, and narrative workshops, young women share their understandings and experiences of violence. They contextualize a digital storytelling mobile phone application to suit their needs and then, use the application to share their stories amongst peers and across countries. Their narratives spark dialogue exploring unique and common experiences with respect to the GBV ever-present in their lives.
With two U.S.-Russia Peer-to-Peer Dialogue Program Awards from the U.S. Department of State, the program began as a collaboration between young women in New York City, U.S. and St. Petersburg, Russia (partners included a citywide youth program in New York, the Russian LGBT Network, and the Center for Youth Studies at the Higher School of Economics). The program scaled using a peer-to-peer training and delivery model from 2015–2016 in Russia and the U.S. From 2017–2018, the program was implemented in Kyiv, Ukraine with young women internally displaced by armed conflict and in Santiago, Chile with first generation women students at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Programs in Chile and Ukraine were funded through Public Diplomacy Program Awards from the countries’ respective U.S. Embassies.
ICTs and gender development initiatives
While numerous gender development initiatives utilize the power of ICTs, Girl-talk-Girl arguably provides a rich example of the ways ICTs might be used in development initiatives focusing on GBV and the ways a DST component might bolster impact. Specifically, the use of ICTs for development (ICT4D) seeks to chaff away at digital divides, expand access to information, and/or exploit the power of ICTs for social good. With respect to gender in ICT4D, there are nuances. Bridging divides, proliferating access, and using technology for example, in economic development, remain on the table. ICT4D with respect to gender aims to increase access to technology for women (bridging a gender divide) and use ICTs in the promotion of gender equality. Considering this mission, Girl-talk-Girl provides an illustrative case of the ways ICTs in combination with DST can be used in gender development initiatives focused on GBV. Through Girl-talk-Girl, open access to technology is sought; inequalities fueling GBV are undermined through access, voice, and skill development; and a participant’s innate power is cultivated.
Grounded in an assets-based approach— harnessing the wisdom, skills, and experiences of individuals—Girl-talk-Girl starts with young women’s resilience and drive to use mobile and online platforms to connect with each other and solve the issues impacting their lives. Through DST, Girl-talk-Girl brings the voices of young women into mainstream discourses on GBV. Tools such as DST that push unheard voices into relief are often lacking in conventional ICT4D initiatives, yet DST supports aspects essential to the success of any ICT4D initiative, for example, prioritizing local geographies (which includes the local voices and physical, socio-political, and cultural landscapes).
Ultimately, Girl-talk-Girl seeks to alleviate inequality and bridge digital divides by building the capacities of young women participants as they: (1) learn about technologies through the production and sharing of stories; (2) tailor a mobile application through the HCD process; (3) disseminate their experiences amongst peers via social media; and (4) improve their communication, leadership, and intercultural skills. As one young woman explained,
“Some of the stories we have seen from Russia are things that I also experience on a daily basis or have experienced before . . . We know deep down that there is a really human level that we all have and that we all experience, but just to physically see it and be reminded of it has been a really awesome experience” (“Z”, New York City).
Impact of Girl-talk-Girl
Footage measures Girl-talk-Girl’s impact along five Drivers of Change, which catalyze the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and encompass compassion and empathy, education, community and connection, awareness, and advocacy. With partner organizations, Footage localizes and implements its monitoring and evaluation strategy using a mix of qualitative (eg., in-depth interviews) and quantitative (eg., surveys) methods.
As a result of participating in Girl-talk-Girl, young women reported an increased: 1) desire to make a positive difference in the lives of women affected by violence; 2) ability to communicate sensitive topics with people from different backgrounds; 3) confidence in telling their stories to convey social problems; 4) sense of connection to a community; 5) understanding of how violence against women affects individuals throughout the world; and 6) level of skill in leadership, technology, communication, storytelling, and empathy. Results showed that:
87% of young women increased their interest in social problems, including violence against women. As a New York participant shared,
“Girl-talk-Girl really opened my eyes to these problems that women are facing all over the world, you know, not just in the States, but everywhere. I was sort of blind to that before” (“L”).
77% of young women better understood their views toward violence against women. As “M” in St. Petersburg put it,
“After the workshop, I started to think deeper about [GBV], to see these injustices, and to have a different attitude.”
93% of young women envisioned themselves using their phones or technology to advocate for causes in the future. In Kyiv, “M” said,
“Taking part in the project was a new experience of self-expression.”
Participants experienced a statistically significant improvement in the following skills as a result of the program: leadership, technology, communication, storytelling, and empathy. As one participant put it,
“I realized I could be heard, that my problems can be understood by others, and I can help other people cope with similar problems” (“I,” Kyiv).
Across four countries, more than 80 young women have directly taken part in Girl-talk-Girl workshops, of which 10 have been trained and employed as Mobile Digital Storytelling Leaders (mDSLs). Dozens have engaged in international Google Hangouts, where stories are discussed. More than 60 stories have been produced; an open-source toolkit designed for NGOs to facilitate dialogue has been developed with young women; and curriculum materials have been created to continue scaling the program globally. Additional young women and members of the public have viewed the stories online, and by request, Girl-talk-Girl’s methodology and micro-documentary were presented at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine as part of the 2016 Forum on Global Violence Prevention.
About Footage Foundation: At Footage, our mission is to raise voices to elevate lives through media arts, creative research, and the science of storytelling. By designing dynamic evidence-based programs and bespoke technology, we support young people (primarily young women), so that their experiences are communicated, their perspectives are amplified, and their compassion and belonging are cultivated. Footage was founded in 2009 by five women PhD students in the social sciences and education at University of Cambridge passionate about applied novel social research and human rights. The interdisciplinary organization continues to use cutting-edge social science methods and best practices in education.
