On this International Women’s Day, we want to take a moment to recognize a few of the many phenomenal organizations working to improve the lives of those of us who are marginalized because of our gender or sexuality — and to honor people from these communities who are doing groundbreaking work across all sectors.
We know inclusion matters, yet all too often women and non-binary persons are excluded from the conversation. This affects everything from the development of tools that we use to live full, enriched lives, to the construction of laws, policies, and institutions that define our capacity to enjoy fundamental rights and freedoms. At a time when major voices in the technology sector are failing to include the perspectives and expertise of our broad community, International Women’s Day — and Women’s History Month — is an important time to #ShineTheLight on the invaluable contributions of women and gender non-conforming persons in defending human rights and making the world more equitable and just for everyone.
This month and throughout the year, we encourage you to engage with these organizations, share their work, and donate if you can. Here’s what they have to say about their work, the challenges their communities face, and the importance of International Women’s Day:
Acoso.Online, Chile
The basic challenge is access to information: victims just don’t know what to do, and, worse, the majority are not conscious that they are experiencing gender violence. At the same time, there are more complex challenges, such as how, as a community, we can redress the harm and reintegrate victims to a normal life when the internet often seems to be such a hostile environment for women, trans, or gender non-conforming individuals.
We give orientation to Latin American victims: from legal issues to technical recommendations on how to experience sexuality with technology, to what to do in their communities, etc. But it is not just information. We also want to give them a strong sense of community and solidarity: victims are not alone, there is a community to support them, and we are fighting the idea of “tolerance” for gender violence.
Chayn, Global
When people seek support online, we realized, they can also put themselves unwittingly at risk, due to a lack of knowledge about online privacy and digital security. To help women protect themselves, Chayn crowdsourced a DIY Guide to Online Safety, sourcing knowledge from digital security experts, lawyers, and survivors, to create an advanced guide to staying safe online. Many women and non-binary people are threatened with online surveillance as part of relationship abuse, so the practical guide, which includes tips as simple as turning on two-factor authentication, can quickly help those facing abuse to limit these online risks.
Chayn is an intersectional feminist organization, and our number one motto is to always design with not for. This means that our resources are always created by and in partnership with women and non-binary people who have experienced the abuse in question.
It is quite clear, from the #HungerForFreedom detained women, to the fact that the average life expectancy of a trans woman of color is only 35, that we have a long way to go to smash patriarchy in society and all the other forms of oppression that surround it. International Women’s Day is an opportunity to shine a light on the progress we still need to make and to make a stand to do so.
Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline, Global
Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline has committed to supporting these users at risk in securing their digital activities, and by networking and interacting with feminist and LGBTQI groups focusing on holistic security and autonomous infrastructures, we are developing customized approaches to help victims of gender-based violence that take into account all their needs.
Internet Democracy Project, India
The work of the Internet Democracy Project shines a light on these issues. Through our research, we build deeper understanding of these challenges; through our advocacy work, we ensure that these issues become part of broader policy debates as well. All too often, the concerns of marginalized groups fly under the radar in internet policy debates. Our work seeks to change that.
i freedom Uganda, Uganda
At i freedom Uganda Network, we undertake to train women in all their diversities how to safely use social media and the internet through equipping them with the knowledge and tools they need to defend themselves online and while offline using other ICTs.
Point of View, India
We push back hard against this — both online and offline. We unlock and amplify the voices of marginalized women through media, art, technology, and education. By building a feminist internet that doesn’t reinforce the inequalities of the physical world. By equipping girls with the digital skills to tell their own stories (especially around stuff that’s taboo for them to talk about, like teenage pregnancy, forced marriage, or same-sex romance). By protecting the rights of women with disabilities to love & desire. And by continually amplifying the voices of marginalized women.
Basically, we keep chipping away at patriarchal culture through all possible means.
KICTANet, Kenya
Feminism in India, India
In a bid to prevent appropriation and to center the voice of the marginalized, our editorial policy allows only people who occupy a marginalized position to comment on the issues and lived experiences of that community. FII has dedicated sections for intersectional experiences — caste, gender, sexuality, religion, race, and also other forms of stigma and discrimination like mental illness and physical disability. You can read more for the rationale of our editorial policy here.
Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, United States