6 Ways to Use Tech for Good and Support Women Worldwide

Making change — great or small — has to start somewhere. Why not start with International Women’s Day?

As the world comes together to celebrate women’s achievements and highlight the need to further accelerate gender equity, give yourself permission to take a small step that can create a positive change for women around the world … that lasts. All you have to do is log on.

If that sounds simple, that’s because it is! At World Pulse, a women-led social network for social good, we’ve heard from countless women around the world who say they just need a little encouragement or guidance to create change in their communities. They too want to be seen and celebrated. Here are six ways to use technology for good and help make an impact for women around the world. World Pulse is a great place to put these ideas into practice, but you can do it on nearly any platform of choice.

1. Give Encouragement

More than just clicks and ‘likes,’ using encouraging words on our social networks of choice (like World Pulse!) can let our fellow women friends, family, colleagues, or global connections know they are not alone, in whatever it is they are facing. Some women are suffering from health issues, facing discrimination, caretaking around the clock, starting new life milestones, or just feeling overwhelmed, confused, and tired.

Encouragement can lift women’s spirits and help them keep moving forward. Instead of just adding a thumbs-up emoji, write: “You are brave, you can do this!” or “what a difference you are making!” When we “en-courage,” it’s as though we actually infuse courage into another person. What an amazing gift, right? Encouragement can provide women with the strength to look ahead, move forward, and reach for the next goal. It’s the reason World Pulse added a special “Encourager” badge to its platform to recognize members who help others feel heard. With encouragement, somehow things seem a little brighter.

2. Make a Connection

Technology doesn’t replace our connection to others, but it certainly can enhance it for the better — and even change lives. The power of tech is in having the ability to easily interact with women thousands of miles away, across oceans and different continents, and feel valued, seen and heard.

Even more, through online connection, you have the ability to be inspired by solutions that women are leading in nearly every country of the world. On World Pulse, women across 227 countries come online and connect with others on the front lines of solutions. Want a few heartening examples to start?

Olimpia Coral Melo from Mexico works to protect women from digital violence. Pallabi Ghosh from India works to curb issues like human trafficking. Esther Ndihano Atosha from the Democratic Republic of the Congo trains young women in countries experiencing crisis on digital skills. Paulina Lawsin Nayra from the Philippines shares legal knowledge and her love of technology with her community to digitally empower as many women as she can.

Once you make a connection, you have an instant sounding board for real-time feedback on initiatives you may be working on, and can get perspective from different cultures and backgrounds. Through it all, these positive, healthy online connections make us responsible digital citizens, part of something bigger than ourselves.

3. Share Your Story

Storytelling makes us human. Stories let us share information in a way that creates a connection and helps us understand each other. So many women storytellers are using the power of their voice to spark change and lift up their communities.

Kamila Geethi in Afghanistan shared stories that urged women to remember Afghanistan and talk about the ongoing crisis. Laa’iqah SeedSower in South Africa wrote posts that gave shape to the struggles and triumphs of women in her country. Catherine Djiemo in Sweden used her keyboard to sound off on discrimination at a hair salon, and wrote stories affirming natural Afro hairstyles and advocating for Black women and girls. In Cameroon, Anwi writes to raise awareness about people with albinism.

From sharing outrage and frustration, to raising awareness on issues, or just sharing creativity or dance moves, there’s a woman in the world who can appreciate your approach to the world.

And knowing you’re not alone can make a big impact.

4. Teach Others

One of the best ways to support women worldwide is to help train women on how to use technology. All around the world, there are opportunities to reach into communities historically left out of the digital world and provide training. This helps women to connect and create change together. Many women feel “digitally shy” or lack the confidence to use technology for good. You can help be a bridge.

In fact, last year World Pulse Digital Ambassadors brought digital skills to more than 18,000 women and girls through 1,356 different events! If you’re in a business, government agency or working at another nonprofit, you can join with others or find networks like Her Digital Leadership Alliance to equip emerging women leaders with digital changemaking skills to help bridge the gender digital divide.

There are other ways to teach using tech. Share online learning opportunities such as online classes, poignant articles or podcasts. Suggest e-books and advise women on helpful, free videos and apps. Whatever you do, use your tech-based device to share your knowledge or own changemaking journey.

5. Collaborate

There is power in working as a team and with a wide variety of people. Women from different cultures often have beautifully different skills, experiences, and perspectives. These differences can challenge you to be more open-minded about problems and how to solve them.

Use Zoom or WhatsApp to work together with women from Trinidad and Tobago to Zimbabwe — it’s where real innovation happens. Become a mentor or a mentee. You can also share contacts and web-based resources. While you’re doing it, tune into your own cross-cultural understanding.

6. Create Change

The ultimate way to harness the power of technology is to accelerate women’s leadership and speed up the pace toward gender equity. Shirley Chisholm, the first Black U.S. Congresswoman once said: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

Women on the World Pulse platform are using tech as their ‘folding chair.’ They are logging on, raising their voices, and developing solutions to problems in their community. Young women in Afghanistan are finding ways to secretly organize using technology. Pakistani women are becoming climate activists as they realize the country is ground zero for climate change. Latin American activists are vowing to help U.S. women on their sexual and reproductive autonomy by teaching their organizing methods.

These women are not just telling stories, but changing the story — growing their leadership to cumulatively impact millions more. And safe online spaces like World Pulse allow for both women’s free expression as well as movement-building.

Go ahead and create big change. But don’t be afraid to start small.

Register at worldpulse.org and start to encourage, connect, and mentor today.

Originally published at impact.worldpulse.org.