Politics, Tech, and Rights
Promoting fair labor, advancing safer digital spaces for women’s political participation, and combating digital threats to democracy.
PROJECT ETHER
Ethical Tech Ecosystem for Human Rights (ETHER), is a program that aligns with Siasa Place’s strategic focus on youth employment, engagement and technology’s political implications. The overarching aim of the project is to foster a safe, empowering and human right-complaint labor market within Kenya’s tech and related industries.
Siasa Place has been an advocate for fair labor practices in the gig economy and platform work. Supported by the Ford Foundation, we are in the process of advocating for the recognition of digital labour as work and all the benefits that a worker should have access to. We have also shone a spotlight on the challenges of content moderation in Kenya; and are advocating for enactment of regulations that can ensure big tech companies respect, protect and promote human rights.
Binti Na Siasa
Binti na Siasa is a program aimed at empowering women in politics and amplifying their voices both offline and online. It addresses the persistent challenges posed by the inadequate implementation of constitutional gender quotas, which limits women’s representation from national to grassroots levels. The initiative advocates for gender-responsive political parties and greater support for women’s political participation. With growing online engagement among Kenyans, Binti na Siasa also works to increase women’s presence and influence in digital spaces.
WOMEN AT WEB
With increased internet penetration, there are more Kenyans engaging online on diverse issues, however little is being done to increase women’s participation on online platforms, or ensuring that those engaging are safe and making an impact in their fields of expertise. A workshop that was exclusively for women with intermediary knowledge of social media usage was held in Nairobi on August 31st 2018, and focused on Digital Literacy, Content Creation, Digital Storytelling, Understanding Digital Ecosystem, Citizen Journalism and Security online. A total of 40 women were trained during this workshop.
Haki Mashinani
We focus on meaningful youth engagement in civic processes and utilize digital platforms to disseminate information through unconventional methods targeting the majority populace. In collaboration with three county based organizations, the HAKI MASHINANI project addresses environmental, governance issues affecting youth as well as and women empowerment in Kericho, Homa Bay, and Siaya Counties.
TrustLab
TrustLab project, a collaboration between Deutsche Welle Akademie (DW), Code for Africa (CfA), and Siasa Place (SP), is working to empower grassroots organizations in six counties namely; Mombasa, Lamu, Nakuru, Nairobi, Homabay and Busia to Identify and combat digital threats that could potentially undermine democracy at county and national levels.
Shujaa Accountability
The Shujaa Accountability Project, a collaboration between the Innovation Foundation for Democracy and Siasa Place, seeks to strengthen civic engagement and promote local accountability by empowering youth and women through artistic expression and digital platforms. Working closely with community-based organizations, the project champions inclusive participation in governance by using creativity and innovation to spark dialogue, amplify citizen voices, and demand accountability in Migori, Kakamega, and Mombasa Counties.