Lucia Ayiela on Digital Activism and Gender-Based Violence in the Horn of Africa

Digital activism can be a powerful way to push for change. However, there are risks when speaking out online. In this podcast episode, Kenyan digital activist Lucia Ayiela talks about how she came to use social media to advocate against gender-based violence.

Ayiela first became a digital activist when she posted about police in Kenya brutalizing young people on Twitter/X. Since then, she has used social media to combat misinformation and speak out against injustices. As a survivor, she brings attention to gender-based violence and the ways that her culture has been shaped by patriarchy.

Throughout the episode, Ayiela offers guidance for other digital activists. It is important that digital activists have a community of support. For her, this includes a therapist and other strong women activists and advocates. She also addresses the importance of self-care and steps activists can take to protect themselves and their families.

We need to find common ground of how digital activism can push offline activism and advocacy. They go hand-in-hand. Once we find that common ground, then moving is going to be easy. Once we come to a place where we have the masses protesting on the streets and our keyboard warriors doing their thing in online spaces, that will be a great day.

SOURCE: GenderIT.org: Feminist Reflections on Internet Policies • AUTHOR: Cecilia Mwende Maundu • LAST UPDATED: January 17, 2023