Women’s Use of Social Media for Gender Advocacy and Policy Engagement in Rivers State

Abstract

The study, Amplifying Women’s Voices and Advancing Gender Justice through social media in Rivers State, explores the application and the purpose of digital platforms in the promotion of gender justice in Rivers State through the lens of women. It was informed by two related objectives, namely: to identify the dominant social media platform, women use to amplify their voices on gender issues, study women perception of how well their social media advocacy aligns with or influences government and institutional gender policy priority in Rivers State. The study relies on the Public Sphere Theory and Feminist Media Theory, to analyse the research. The research is a mixed-method study, whereby data has been collected from 400 respondents who were selected in a proportionate way among all the three senatorial districts in the state. The quantitative results indicate that there is a general inclination towards social media because of its independence and immediacy, yet also report enduring obstacles, such as excessive data expenditures, connectivity issues, cyberbullying, and the gap between policies and practices. The qualitative information highlights the prevalence of both the private group organising and narrative strategies and at the same time reveals the lack of connection between online advocacy and institutional gender responses. The study concludes by stating that social media increases visibility and engagement among women, but it is hardly a sustainable policy or social change without organised offline action and better institutional engagement. One of the suggestions is to develop and execute integrated advocacy strategies that incorporates digital literacy, grassroots mobilisation, and formal policy dialogue to bridge the digital void and advance gender justice in Rivers State.