Photo from Magdalene

In discussions on the digital rights landscape in Indonesia, women have largely been left out of the conversation. Online spaces have replicated and intensified the inequality, discrimination, and security risks that women already face offline. To create a healthier digital ecosystem, Indonesia must exert effort to ensure women’s inclusion in the digital rights discourse and protect their rights to free expression online.

In a post on women-focused publication Magdalene.co, EngageMedia research consultant Diani Citra wrote about women’s uphill struggle for their narratives to be adequately represented in Indonesia’s online spaces. Citing EngageMedia’s research on the digital rights actors in Indonesia, Citra said initiatives that centre and promote women’s voices have enabled more women to fight for equal access to an open internet and all the advantages this entails.

She also flagged digital attacks as one of the key barriers in women’s representation in the spheres of technological and business innovation:

“The issue of online gender-based violence has emerged as a pressing issue in the domain of digital rights. The COVID crisis has also contributed to the problem as social distancing policies have forced women to increase their exposure online on platforms like social media.,” she wrote.

“In order to harness the energy and creativity of women, the country must first protect those women and afford them the freedom of expression online that they deserve,” she added.

Read the full post on Magdalene.