Asia

The emerging sub-field of research around gender and digital technology is united in its understanding that gender biases and stereotypes are embedded in technology, and that this reproduces the existing problems around gender parity, gender-based violence, discrimination and exclusion on the internet. This report is a mapping of the research around gender and digital technology in the decade…

Pakistan government has recently introduced various laws to curb online violence. However, the undemocratic processes with which these laws have been drafted point towards their ability to directly target citizens' civil liberties on the internet. Moaz Bhangu speaks to women content creators who have been self-censoring to stay safe online.

Women make up half the population of Pakistan, and yet they're routinely denied access to identification documents based on patriarchal and archaic policies that reject any sense of autonomy over their personhood independent of men around them. Zainab Durrani speaks to some of the women who were subjected to these policies.

The piece written by Damla Umut Uzun explores the research on digital violence against LGBTQIA+ users in Turkiye. By sharing experiences of violence, their trajectory online, the piece aims to understand the dynamics of online gender-based violence for this understudied community within the country where there is scarce protection with a lot of political driven hate against them.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the digital divide that exists in rural Indonesia as the world moved to technology for everyday needs and tasks. The residents of the villages set up community radios to address this gap, which then helped in addressing many economic, educational, communication and entertainment needs of the residents.

Patriarchal restrictions on internet access lead to impacts that affect all aspects of women's lives in Pakistan. This familial control is not only detrimental to their economic and educational growth, but also is a threat to their safety and health. In this series of illustrations, Aniqa Haider sheds light on the impact of gender digital divide in Pakistan.

Patriarchal control on digital access in Sri Lanka continues to keep women away from opportunities and connections, creating a sense of alienation amongst them. Zinara Rathnayake discusses how family restrictions on the ownership and usage of the internet and smartphones impact Sri Lankan women.

Sexism, misogyny and homophobia bars women and gender-diverse folks' access to the internet in Myanmar, leading to violence to continue to perpetuate without any repercussions for perpertrators. In this podcast, Nandar talks to a digital security expert about experiences of vulnerable people on the internet.

A short comic on the anxieties of sharing yourself and your work online, and how one has to commodify all aspects of themselves online, which can open doors to unwanted risks and online hate.

Owing to the constantly increasing threats to their safety, women and LGBT+ folks struggle to have a sense of privacy on the internet in Pakistan. Finstas, or fake Instagram, provides them a safe space for their self-expression. Momina Mindeel explores the serious repercussions of privacy violations, and the 'need' for finstas.