Digital Pathways to Peace? Women’s Voices and the Risks of Online Engagement in Northwestern Nigeria

Leti Kleyn
Jul 4
1 min read

Updated: Jul 8

published in Kujenga Amani for the Social Science Research Council

Cultural norms, structural exclusion, and insecurity often constrain women’s participation in peacebuilding processes in Northwestern Nigeria. However, digital communication technologies, particularly mobile phones and social media platforms, have opened new avenues for women to voice their concerns, mobilize communities, and advocate for peace. This article critically examines how women leverage these technologies, drawing on feminist pragmatics and critical digital studies to analyze women’s digital agency in a region marked by violent conflict, gender inequality, and institutional neglect.¹ The case of Hamdiyya Sidi, an 18-year-old activist whose digital advocacy led to her prosecution, illustrates both the potential and perils of women’s digital activism. Read more here

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