Intersectionality in digital content creation
Digital content creation has emerged as an influential mode of self-expression for women in Cameroon, enabling them to share narratives around gender equality and political participation. This study aimed to shed light on how the intersection of gender, socioeconomic status, training, and geographic location impacts the production and reception of digital content created by Cameroonian women. Employing a multi-pronged analytical approach, including narrative, thematic, intersectional, and comparative analysis, the research team used a Google Form and conducted in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 11 women digital content creators, to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The findings reveal that these women face a complex web of barriers that transcend simple gender discrimination. Women from rural areas and those with limited financial resources encounter heightened challenges in building high-quality, visually appealing digital content. They struggle to access the necessary tools, technologies, and training compared to their more privileged counterparts living in urban areas. A cocktail of challenges that seriously hamper their online visibility, types of content they produce, and audience engagement. Additionally, the women reported grappling with online gender-based violence (OGBV), a difficulty compounding the initial resource challenges. To foster a more inclusive and equitable digital landscape in Cameroon, the report recommends targeted interventions. These include promoting affordable internet access, investing in digital infrastructure, enacting gender-specific protective legislation, making reporting in tech platforms more context-based, and providing capacity building in digital literacy, video editing, and skills training; fostering collaborative action and coordination among civil society organizations (CSOs) to amplify their collective impact, and mentorship programs tailored to the needs of women facing intersectional marginalization. Only by adopting an intersectional lens can meaningful progress be made in empowering all women digital content creators and get their voices heard for a ground change.