5 December 2014

Ntokozo Yingwana, Jessica Buhl-Nielsen, Naoko Ono

Contents

1. A case from Kenya

2. The force of social media locally

3. The force of social media internationally

4. Reflection

1. A case from Kenya

On the 10th of November a woman was stripped by a mob of men for wearing a mini-skirt, at a matatu (bus) terminal in Nairobi.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2837884/Kenyans-march-against-attacks-women-mini-skirts.html

The forces of social media locally

• Simple message #MyDressMyChoice.

• Local activism, mobilisation, connecting messages from local to global community.

• Sparked global outrage and pressure on the Kenyan government.

Popular Kenyan mom's Facebook group set up to exchange information about childcare and parenting has taken on an activism.

The forces of social media locally (Cont.)The forces are:

• Equality Now, stripping videos provided an "opportunity" for social change.

• Police can't act unless victims come forward.

• Law Society of Kenya, is requesting special permission to prosecute.

Copycat attacks, "Since they started stripping girls, I started fearing", Marianne Njambi a clothing vendor.

My Dress, My Choice march

On the 17th of November thousands marched in protest under the banner 'MyDress,MyChoice'.

A case from Kenya (Cont.)Struggle of masculinities: • Traditional/cultural masculinities vs.

so-called non-African/Western masculinities (Connell & Messerschmidt 2005).

• Attempt to challenge oppressive masculinities through social media activism.

• Non-conforming masculinities - male protestors intimidated (homophobia).

A case from Kenya (Cont.)Culture vs. human rights: • 'An African woman should be decent,' said James Macharia, a

26-year-old student who stood watching the rally with a group of other men. 'They are provoking us. And I think we should put in place laws to curb that' (MailOnline).

• Woman’s body as an object and instrument to maintain gender relations and power structures.

• #NudityNotMyChoice, disjunctures between global human rights law and cultural understandings of justice (Merry 2006)

3. The forces of social media internationally

An example of UN campaign:UNWomen Asia and the Pacific, simple message to boys and men.http://unwomen-asiapacific.org/brothatsnotok/

The forces are:• Connection with social media and development. • Addressing global issues (GBV) and meeting people at their level

and in their space.

4. Reflection: From WID to GAD to Social media?

1.challenges and risks of using social media in development

2.Our hope that social media will be used in development

3.WID → GAD → Local action through social media ??

Thank you.