A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of participating in the OVOF 2025 Residential Workshop held at Keba Xpress Hotel in Entebbe, Uganda. Organized by WOUGNET (Women of Uganda Network) under the Our Voices, Our Futures (OVOF) initiative, the workshop brought together an incredible cohort of women human rights defenders and feminists committed to advancing gender and digital rights in Uganda.
Convergence of Passion, Strategy, and Purpose
This wasn’t just another event. It was a powerful convergence of passion, strategy, and purpose. The focus? Strengthening gender and human rights engagement in Internet Governance Forum (IGF) processes, particularly through intersessional platforms like the Best Practice Forum on Gender and Access, and the Gender Dynamic Coalition.
As a digital transformation consultant actively involved in Internet governance through ICANN and the Internet Society, participating in this space reinforced a fundamental truth: digital infrastructure is not gender-neutral. When connectivity gaps, online harassment, and algorithmic bias go unaddressed, women and marginalized groups are systematically excluded from the benefits of the digital revolution.
Demystifying Policy Spaces for Grassroots Advocates
A central theme of our residential workshop was breaking down the barriers that prevent grassroots advocates from participating in international governance fora. We analyzed how technical terminology and rigid multilateral procedures can silence community voices.
Through structured breakout groups, collaborative drafting sessions, and policy demystification drills, participants developed concrete advocacy statements directly targeting national and regional policy frameworks.
Building Bridges Between Technical and Advocacy Communities
My key contribution centered on bridging the technical realities of Internet infrastructure with human rights advocacy. When human rights defenders understand how DNS policies, data localization frameworks, and encryption standards operate technically, their policy interventions become exponentially more impactful.
I left Entebbe deeply inspired by the clarity and courage of the participants, reaffirmed in my commitment to ensure that every digital project and policy initiative I support advances genuine equality and human-centered design.