Advancing women's rights through social media is a matter of priority as long as it does not serve being an instrument to spew venom on men for that serves no purpose in achieving the desired objective of #GenderEquality. The case for gender equality is as old and potent as any other social issue of human rights, freedom of speech, freedom from slavery et al.
Each of the above have taken the forefront during a certain period of time. Evolution of humankind has seen awareness, sensitivity, understanding of rights and justice grow with each decade and century. What was seen as a social norm in an era gone or a normal practice is easily challenged and corrected as time passes and new norms get recognition.
Our times are blessed with the surge of digital and social media creating an outreach as never before. Activism and advocacy campaigns run in one continent impact the lives of people in another. Crusaders and volunteers join hands on digital space to fight for the rights of communities or people they have never seen or met. That is the power of social media that influences and impacts the lives of many today and millions in the tomorrows to come.
Gender Equality and Women's Rights are a reality today not because the number of women have increased but because the number of women who can connect and voice their opinion on issues concerning them has multiplied. Social media is being leveraged to run campaigns, bring awareness and address problems.
Strategies for advancing women's empowerment are no different than those for other crusades. The idea is to use platforms easily accessible on internet to highlight women's concerns and engage many women and men in finding solutions. Internet brings democracy to the whole process where earlier few or a roomful of people got to decide. Now in a sense, it is the power of the people - a majority which gets to hear and speak, share and discuss and arrive at decisions or influence policy. Internet and social media are conduits and must be used to their fullest potential to debate, discuss and decide issues.
For women to think - if they do - that the internet is male dominated would again be a non starter. The more women join various forum and engage they will change that ratio and just like women CEO's heading many an organization, women on social media will start making a difference once they connect, communicate and crusade. That would indeed be the most powerful use of social media to change mindsets and bring about the desired paradigm shift in society.
