Digital Activism: Times the African Youth used Social Media in their Quest for Justice
In the age of algorithms, likes, and followers, it often feels like if something isn't online, it isn't happening. As a result, much of what matters in life has migrated to social media, where much of our daily interactions now take place. This includes activism. Social media users can hardly scroll through their feeds without encountering posts about state-sponsored human rights violations occurring around the world—in places like Palestine, Congo, and Sudan. These posts represent a form of activism, raising awareness and prompting outrage that can inspire real change. While there has been a perception that Africa has lagged behind in terms of global digital trends, history shows that African youth have frequently been at the forefront of digital activism, using it as a powerful tool in their pursuit of justice and demand for change.
Digital activism is defined as a form of activism “that uses the internet and digital media as key platforms for mass mobilization and political action”. This aspect played a major role in the many youth protests as these campaigns and protests gained momentum quickly as videos went viral, and people all over the world were tweeting about it. “With the ubiquity of mobile phones, young activists have completely changed their communication strategies. Instead of distributing leaflets in the streets, they are using text, video, and image messaging to coordinate. Social Networks like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp let them organise virtual meetings, share real-time information, and plan demonstrations at low. More access to the internet also means that they can promote accountability and demand better governance by sharing examples of political mismanagement, denouncing their scandal-ridden governments, and providing critical intelligence about state-sponsored human rights violations.” (OpenGlobalRights, 2021)
An example of a time the African youth used digital activism to raise awareness is the #EndSARS campaign. In October 2020, the Nigerian youth took to the streets to protest against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad also known as SARS. This institution was a Nigerian police force that in 1992, it was initially created to help in combating crimes by detaining, investigating and prosecuting persons suspected to be involved in criminal doings but as time went by, SARS became the opposite of what it was set to be. It had controversies such as that it became a witch hunt for young people that had dreadlocks, piercings, etc, basing it solely on appearance. #EndSARS gained popularity on social media when celebrities and other people around the world started retweeting it in demanding that this police brutality by SARS must come to an end. Through digital activism, the Nigerian youth started a helpline to assist in responding to emergencies as well as making legal services available to those in need of such.
The youth do not wait for the traditional media such as Television news networks, radio, etc., in order to get the word around and raising awareness. The youth use what is accessible to them which is social media and so far, it is working for them because through these hashtags going viral on social media platforms, they have managed to get the conversation about bad governance, corruption and mismanagement by their governments as well as dire human rights violations, going by including celebrities and other young activists from all over the world.
During the #ShutItAllDown protests in Namibia in October 2020. One of the protesters, Leebus Hashikutuva, said, “All over the country, everyone is frustrated, concerned, traumatised – and everybody is tired. The revolution will not only be televised but it will also be tweeted and on Instagram. We are using the power of social media as a collective.” (Al Jazeera, 2020) Through #ShutItAllDown, Namibian youth were demanding better, they were demanding safety for their women and children as SGBV has always been a problem plaguing their society. They also demanded that their minister of gender equality, poverty eradication and Social Welfare, Doreen Sioka, steps down as they could not continue to live in fear when the ones in power are not doing enough to prevent this.
Another movement that proved that the youth want to be heard was the South African #FeesMustFall. In 2015, students at the University of Witwatersrand started the #FeesMustFall movement because of the 10.5% tuition fee increase for the year 2016, and due to the high cost of tertiary fees in South Africa, the hashtag became popular with students all over the country protesting for affordable tertiary education. Soon after, South African students around the world after the #FeesMustFall gained momentum, South African students studying in the United Kingdom came together in front of South Africa House to give the former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom a memorandum of grievances that he later signed. This was done to show support for their fellow South Africans, furthermore, in 2016, the former president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma announced that there would not be any tuition fees increase in 2016 but this did not stop #FeesMustFall from trending on people’s Twitter feeds. In 2021, the #FeesMustFall gave birth to #WitsAsinamali which roughly translates to Wits, we do not have money in IsiZulu. This came after the minister of Higher Education Mr. Blade Nzimande announced that NSFAS, the National Students Financial Aid Scheme, which many South African students rely on to go to school, was going to reduce its contribution and some students would not benefit from it.
These hashtags are the tip of the iceberg of what the youth are capable of, through physical activism by taking it to the streets to protest and demonstrate or through digital activism whereby they get the conversation going by raising awareness and gaining traction from people all over the world including celebrities, activists, politicians, and other young people to talk about what their African countries are facing, which brings about changes. “Instead of driving violence and instability, the explosive demographic growth in Africa could be a powerful factor in the continent’s development. But this will only be possible if African governments listen to their young population’s demands: equity and social justice, effective employment policies, innovative industrial programs, transparent governance, and eco-friendly policies.”. (OpenGlobalRights,2020) By ignoring the youth, African governments are further deteriorating any chance of development they can accumulate.
References:
Ossenbrink, L (2020, Oct, 13), ‘Why are anti-femicide protestors taking to Namibia’s Streets?’Retrieved-from-https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/13/why-are-anti-femicide-protesters-demonstrating-in-namibia
Souleymane, S (2021, Dec, 16), ‘The rise of youth activism in Africa’ Retrieved from https://www.openglobalrights.org/the-rise-of-youth-activism-in-africa/
Aubyn, Frimpong. (2022, May, 17) ‘Digital Activism, Transnational Support, and the EndSARS Movement in Nigeria’ Retrieved fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/360667358_Digital_Activism_Transnational_Support_and_the_EndSARS_Movement_in_Nigeria
About the author:
Livhuwani Malelelo is a dedicated law student at the University of Johannesburg and a passionate advocate for literacy and social justice. She serves as a research officer for the Politics4Her African hub, contributing to policy discussions and advocacy efforts impacting women across the continent. Livhuwani’s work extends to her role as a writer, with her notable contributions, such as her article on the National Sex Offenders Registry, published on AfricLaw. As a literacy activist, Livhuwani was selected as the 2024 Youth Ambassador for the World Literacy Foundation, where she champions literacy and education as transformative tools. Her blog, AboutAfricas, and accompanying YouTube channel are dedicated to promoting African literature, fostering a reading culture, and sharing African narratives with audiences worldwide.
