Critically Absent: Women’s rights in internet governance

The right to communicate is vital to developing politically, economically and socially, but increasingly our public spaces are facing privatisation, excluding the poor and the marginalised. Is it time to expand the definition of public goods? Some in the feminist movement argue there is the need to work to strengthen public education and public health and recognise the value of public spaces. In the same way the internet is, or needs to be, a public good, with open content and access as a right. This is just one way where feminist voices could make a vital contribution to decision-making and public policy on the internet and new communication technologies.

This Policy Advocacy Toolkit encourages women and their organizations to engage in a political discussion about the promotion of internet development with a vision of inclusion, fairness and respect for human rights. It is a tool that can be used to raise awareness and encourage participation in a new environment where women cannot and should not be absent.

Contents: Introduction by Dafne Plou; 'Internet Governance and gender issues' by Avri Doria; 'Women’s freedom of expression in the internet' by Margarita Salas; 'Internet, women and porn' by Bruno Zilli; 'Internet democracy and the feminist movement' by Anja Kovacs; 'Women, privacy and anonymity: more than data protection' by Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau.

Association for Progressive Communications (APC) (2012). PDF.