In its report entitled ”Bridging the Digital Gender Gap in Uganda: An Assessment of Women Rights Online Based on the Principles of the African Declaration of Internet Rights and Freedoms (AFDEC),” WOUGNET weighs how Uganda is performing in as far as women’s usage of the internet is concerned when matched against the principles of AFDEC.

The declaration was drafted by African civil society organizations to guide the creation of a positive, rights-based and democratically governed Internet policy environment on the continent.

ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY

The AFDEC principle on access and Affordability states that; “Access to the Internet should be available and affordable to all persons in Africa without discrimination on any ground such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”

In Uganda, WOUGNET report says that despite the increase in access to and use of the internet and ICTs across the board, access and affordability is still a challenge for large sections of the population especially the poor, rural populations, women, and persons with disabilities.

To prove gender disparities as far as internet access is concerned, WOUGNET cites the 2015 Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) survey entitled “Access and usage of ICT” which found that only 44 per cent of women owned and could use a phone at any time compared to 62 per cent of the men.

Furthermore, the same UCC survey found that only 15 per cent of women had used a computer or the internet in the last three months prior to the survey compared to 21 per cent of the men that were interviewed.

Compared to the other cities, WOUGNET cites a 2016 survey by the World Wide Web Foundation which revealed that Kampala has the largest gender gap in Internet access with only 21 per cent of women reported having used the Internet, versus 61 per cent of men.

‘This is because while internet access has become more affordable, particularly on mobile phones, costs are still expensive for many Ugandans, especially the women who have no significant sources of income,” the report saying citing figures from the 2014 Uganda National Population and Housing survey that indicate that 32 per cent of women were not involved in any economic activities, compared to only 26 per cent of the men.

Beyond having access to and affording the costs of the internet, utilization of these digital technologies requires the right skills, knowledge and tools, the report says. Unfortunately, according to WOUGNET majority of women also lack the skills and confidence to engage with digital technologies effectively at every level, starting from basic usage.

SECURITY, STABILITY AND RESILIENCE

The AFDEC Principle on security, stability and resilience emphasizes that; “Everyone has the right to benefit from security, stability and resilience of the Internet. And that unlawful surveillance, monitoring and interception of users’ online communications by state or non-state actors fundamentally undermine the security and trustworthiness of the Internet.”

Unfortunately, WOUGNET notes that the growth of the internet and other digital technologies has raised new human rights and safety concerns. Cyberbullying, online harassment and cyberstalking have become too common, as part of a wider variety of violent behaviours that occur in digital spaces and disproportionately affect women and girls.

In many countries, women have experienced online abuse – from petty harassment and trolling to stalking and sexual intimidation. In Uganda, the number of women whose nude pictures or videos have been shared online without their consent has been increasing over the years, the report says.

In the last five year, at least eight Ugandan celebrities, including Judith Heard, Fabiola Anita, Martha Kagimba popularly known as Martha Kay, Cindy Sanyu, Sanyu Robina Mweruka, Desire Luzida, Zari Hassan, and herbalist Sylvia Namutebi popularly known as Maama Fina have fallen victims to this behaviour, allegedly by their ex-boyfriends or people out to blackmail the victims for money.

“…. the 2016 Web Foundation survey, a shocking 45 per cent of female Internet users in Kampala report having experienced online threats. Women’s online expression is also being restricted by frequent Internet shutdowns and mass surveillance,“ the report says.

While section 13(1) of the Anti- Pornography Act criminalizes the production, trafficking in, publication, broadcasting, procuring, importing, exporting, selling or abetting any form of pornography, only in one case have other individuals (outside the victim) been charged for cybercrime related to the leaking of the nude pictures and videos.

Last year, Herbert Arinaitwe alias John Paul, 27, a businessman in Rubaga division and Farid Mukiibi, 34, were charged at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s court by chief magistrate Miriam Okello with aggravated robbery and cyber-crime in connection to leaking nude photos of socialite Kagimba. To date, the women, are yet to know their fate.

“The impact of these cyberbullying and harassment is further compounded by the fact that authorities are always on hand to arrest and or seek to prosecute the victims, “says WOUGNET adding that in 2019 socialite Heard told the BBC how she was arrested by police and shamed for the leaked nudes.

PRIVACY AND PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION

One of the biggest human rights concerns in this digital age has been unlimited ability and the massive collection and preservation of biometric data.

Unfortunately, many internet users are not aware of the implications of their use of the web and how their rights are compromised by their internet usage or how their data is automatically gathered or processed without their knowledge and sold or linked with other sources to produce a complex record of several aspects of their lives.

The AFDEC principle on Privacy and Data Protection requires that “Personal data or information shall only be collected and/or processed by states and non-state actors such as access providers, mail providers, hosts, and other intermediaries, in compliance with well-established data protection principles. Uganda moved a step closer towards ensuring that data is protected that data within her boundaries is protected when in 2019 President Museveni assented to the Data Protection Act, 2019.

The Law applies to the collection, processing, holding or using of personal data within Uganda in respect to persons in or outside Uganda, in respect to Ugandan citizens. This means that both automated and physical data collection, processing and storage is covered within the scope of the Act.

But this hasn’t stopped individuals from abusing women’s personal data, mostly pictures and video in the process compromising their right to privacy and data protection. In order to bridge the digital gender gap, WOUGNET says, that government leaders, and all other relevant stakeholders must get to understand the barriers to access and develop the public policies, tools and interventions that promote more gender inclusivity.

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