Digital Inclusion Is Not Neutral: The Problem of Metric Capture Why the numbers used to measure digital progress often hide the costs carried by the most vulnerable users

The dashboard says digital inclusion is working.
More users.
More transactions.
More IDs.
But who defines what inclusion means? A concept I’m exploring: metric capture, when success metrics hide structural harm.

South Africa’s richest city rolling out smart poles with free Wi-Fi Johannesburg is rolling out smart poles with high-speed free public Wi-Fi, CCTV surveillance, and an emergency panic button system.

#DigitalInclusion
Free public Wi-Fi isn’t just a “smart city” feature; it’s digital inclusion in action.
Connectivity means access to jobs, education, and public services. mybroadband.co.za/news/interne...

Who Benefits When Tech Moves Fast? This note is part of Tuesdays with Afrodiva, a weekly reflection on technology, power, and dignity in the digital age.

Speed is often framed as innovation. But speed is not neutral; it’s a power multiplier. This week on Tuesdays with Afrodiva: Who really benefits when tech moves fast? Who absorbs the risk when urgency outruns accountability? Read on alturl.com/dbvr3
#TuesdaysWithAfrodiva

Algorithms are often framed as neutral. They’re not. When built on unequal data, they amplify injustice rather than correct it.

This week on Tuesdays with Afrodiva, I explore what happens when algorithms inherit inequality — and why inclusion requires more than better datasets.
alturl.com/whcci

When Tech Giants Ask Citizens to Pressure Regulators, Equity Is Already at Risk The recent Connecting Africa article reports that Starlink is urging South Africans to pressure ICASA over its licensing requirements…

Connectivity w/o equity isn’t progress, it’s extraction.
My response to calls for citizens to lobby regulators is live: theafrodivaspeaks.medium.com/when-tech-gi...

#DigitalEquity #InternetGovernance #Africa

Why Digital Access Belongs in the Basic Household Basket Johannesburg is now officially the most expensive metro in South Africa to buy groceries. According to the Pietermaritzburg Economic…

In Joburg, households spend R5,547.99/month on groceries, the highest in SA. But in 2025, choosing between bread or data is not a choice anyone should face. Digital access (phone + Wi-Fi) must be in the basic household basket. #datamustfall

🔗 Read more: theafrodiva.medium.com/why-digital-...

Kistpay – Unlocking Women’s Digital Futures Through Trust-Centered Innovation - Global Digital Inclusion Partnership Kistpay offers more than just installment plans for phones; it creates an ecosystem of inclusion.

Read how Kistpay is "Unlocking Women’s Digital Futures Through Trust-Centered Innovation,” closing the gender digital divide in Pakistan through social financing and financial empowerment, bringing women into the digital economy. shorturl.at/k58AO

Reflections from Geneva: WSIS+20 and the Urgency of Inclusive Digital Futures - Global Digital Inclusion Partnership Representing GDIP at WSIS+20 wasn’t just a professional milestone, it was a deeply personal commitment to the world I believe is possible.

Reflections from #WSIS20 in Geneva, where digital futures took center stage. Highlight? Meeting Nadine, an AI-powered humanoid built by a woman. Women must shape tech’s frontiers. Read blog via @gdinclusion
globaldigitalinclusion.org/2025/08/06/r...
#DigitalInclusion #DigitalEquality

Please do and sorry for this experience. Thank you for keeping us all honest.

Pleased to be part of the esteemed panel. Please join us in Room F at the Palexpo in Geneva or online.

Honored to represent @gdinclusion.bsky.social at @wsis20sec.bsky.social in Geneva, hosted by the @itu.int.

Today, I’ll speak on a panel: How can we harness digital public goods for a more inclusive, sustainable digital future beyond 2025?

Join us in person or online!
#DigitalInclusion #WSIS

#IGF2025 to #WSIS20
📍Re-live the #IGF2025 sessions here: www.igf2025.no

“Digital inclusion isn’t a luxury, it’s a lifeline!”
Wrapped up a powerful week at #IGF2025 🇳🇴
I was honored to:
✅Reaffirm commitment to gender digital inclusion
✅Join bold discussions on data, equity & access
✅Represent @gdinclusion’s people-first model

The Hague, home of global justice, now holds space for historical truth: a new monument to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, created by artist Buhlebezwe Siwani. I wrote about its meaning, symbolism, and why this moment matters.
medium.com/p/6a7c47297195
#BuhlebezweSiwani #TheHague

No #DigitalJustice without #FiscalJustice.

We can't close digital divides with underfunded systems. It's time to invest in gender-responsive, accountable public financing that centers people, not profit.

Proud to support this call to action.

Looking forward to attending this networking session.

Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion launched Issue Brief on Governing Quantum Technology at EuroDIG 2025 Re-affirming its commitment to inclusive digital transformation and contributing to WSIS+20 review process, IGF’s Dynamic Coalition on measuring Digital Inclusion (DC-Digital Inclusion), convened the networking session Exploring Frontier technologies for harnessing digital public good and advancing Digital Inclusion at EuroDIG 2025.

Pleased to have represented @GDInclusion at this session where Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion launched Issue Brief on Governing Quantum Technology at EuroDIG 2025 unes.co/femivv

Bridging the Digital Divide: How Satellite Technology is Advancing Digital Inclusion in Africa - Global Digital Inclusion Partnership As satellite technology lifts Africa’s digital potential sky-high, it’s clear that connectivity is no longer a luxury—it’s a launchpad for inclusion.

From space to the classroom: Satellite technology is unlocking new possibilities across the continent. I had the pleasure of co-authoring this new blog shorturl.at/LMNkH —exploring how we can ensure these innovations serve the many, not just the few.
@projectkuiper.bsky.social

Coding Justice: How Girls Can Build Human Rights into AI - Global Digital Inclusion Partnership This Girls in ICT Day, let’s go beyond slogans and skills. Let’s equip girls to code justice into the DNA of our digital future. When girls shape AI, they don’t just change tech. They change the world...

#GirlsinICT is not just a day, it is a movement.
A call to action.

My thoughts on how we can support girls to build ethical AI, fight digital injustice, and code for human rights. Let’s invest in them—not just today, but every day. 💻🌍👩🏾‍💻✨ #GirlsinICT #DigitalRights #AI4Good

shorturl.at/gh4wb

#GirlsinICT

𝐋- Launch of the Osaka Protocol 🇯🇵 - GDIP is proud to be a signatory of this timely document bringing together partners across the globe to make measurable commitments that advance gender equality for innovative and sustainable digital societies.
@womenintech.bsky.social

#ConnectedResilience #GirlsinICT

Partners like @internetsociety.bsky.social Foundation help advance #digitalequality #GirlsinICT

Advancing #GirlsinICT requires a commitment to #ClosetheGenderDigitalDivide #DigitalEquality

#GirlsinICT

#GirlsinICT

#DigitalJustice ✊🏾

Ten organizations, spanning eight countries across East Africa, West Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, have been selected for their innovative solutions and impact in tackling the gender digital divide. gdip.ngo/4ewJErW

AI for the Global Majority: The Digital Divide No One’s Talking About! - Global Digital Inclusion Partnership The glossy and rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence and its promise of transforming every aspect of our lives is tarnished by a growing undercurrent of exclusion. This raises the question - who ...

🚀 Kicking off our #BlueSky journey with our latest blog:
AI for the Global Majority: The Digital Divide No One’s Talking About, explores some of the most significant barriers to digital inclusion in the age of #AI.

🔗Link: rb.gy/65wqg6

#DigitalInclusion #AIethics #TechEquity @afrodiva.bsky.social

🚨Our Exec Dir @snjorge.bsky.social, joins global experts @ #WomenInTechSummit in Osaka. 🇯🇵
Panel:
🎙️ Mapping the Global Tech Digital Gap
📅 April 24 | 🕑 14:00 JST

Don’t miss this powerful session on gender, tech & equity.
#WITGlobalSummit #WomenInTech #DigitalInclusion #Tech4Good @afrodiva.bsky.social