Digital Equity for Positive Peace: A Feminist Policy Framework for Human Security in Nigeria’s Niger Delta
Institutional Affiliation
New York University
Start Date
January 2026
End Date
January 2026
Proposal Type
Poster
Proposal Format
On-campus
Proposal Description
Synthesizing Johan Galtung’s theory of structural violence with key principles from feminist peacebuilding literature, this proposal advances the Digital Equity for Peace Policy Framework (DEPPF). The DEPPF serves as a feminist tool for policy design, informing development and guiding policymakers through the process of digital transformation. The framework is centered on four pillars: 1) equitable access to digital infrastructure; 2) grassroots-led digital literacy; 3) the meaningful inclusion of women in decision-making; and 4) embedded accountability mechanisms. These pillars are designed to dismantle gender-based exclusions in digital spaces by promoting local ownership, responsive policy design, and long-term institutional reform.
Digital transformation is reshaping governance and economic opportunities in Nigeria’s Niger Delta. Despite significant state-led investments in technological infrastructure, women remain systemically excluded from digital spaces. This exclusion reflects a persistent form of structural violence that weakens community resilience and fosters conditions conducive to conflict. Yet, these digital inequalities remain largely absent from conventional peacebuilding initiatives, which target more visible symptoms of violence.
The analysis engages Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) alongside the Niger Delta's unique, region-specific dynamics to demonstrate how digital transformation policies—when implemented without consideration of gender—can worsen existing inequalities and fuel instability. It highlights the limitations of top-down policy adoption and emphasizes the importance of localized implementation informed by precolonial feminist governance traditions, such as the Urhobo women’s eghweya councils. The proposal anticipates several barriers to implementation, namely infrastructure constraints and resistance from patriarchal institutions. It also identifies key opportunities for advancing gender-equitable digital transformation through leveraging existing policy momentum.
By reframing digital transformation as a peacebuilding tool, the DEPPF offers a practical framework for policymakers working at the intersection of gender, technology, and conflict. The adaptability of this framework positions it as a scalable model for integrating digital equity into broader human security agendas in local and global contexts.
Keywords: digital equity, feminist peacebuilding, structural violence, human security, Nigeria, Niger Delta, gender and technology
Digital Equity for Positive Peace: A Feminist Policy Framework for Human Security in Nigeria’s Niger Delta
Synthesizing Johan Galtung’s theory of structural violence with key principles from feminist peacebuilding literature, this proposal advances the Digital Equity for Peace Policy Framework (DEPPF). The DEPPF serves as a feminist tool for policy design, informing development and guiding policymakers through the process of digital transformation. The framework is centered on four pillars: 1) equitable access to digital infrastructure; 2) grassroots-led digital literacy; 3) the meaningful inclusion of women in decision-making; and 4) embedded accountability mechanisms. These pillars are designed to dismantle gender-based exclusions in digital spaces by promoting local ownership, responsive policy design, and long-term institutional reform.
Digital transformation is reshaping governance and economic opportunities in Nigeria’s Niger Delta. Despite significant state-led investments in technological infrastructure, women remain systemically excluded from digital spaces. This exclusion reflects a persistent form of structural violence that weakens community resilience and fosters conditions conducive to conflict. Yet, these digital inequalities remain largely absent from conventional peacebuilding initiatives, which target more visible symptoms of violence.
The analysis engages Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) alongside the Niger Delta's unique, region-specific dynamics to demonstrate how digital transformation policies—when implemented without consideration of gender—can worsen existing inequalities and fuel instability. It highlights the limitations of top-down policy adoption and emphasizes the importance of localized implementation informed by precolonial feminist governance traditions, such as the Urhobo women’s eghweya councils. The proposal anticipates several barriers to implementation, namely infrastructure constraints and resistance from patriarchal institutions. It also identifies key opportunities for advancing gender-equitable digital transformation through leveraging existing policy momentum.
By reframing digital transformation as a peacebuilding tool, the DEPPF offers a practical framework for policymakers working at the intersection of gender, technology, and conflict. The adaptability of this framework positions it as a scalable model for integrating digital equity into broader human security agendas in local and global contexts.
Keywords: digital equity, feminist peacebuilding, structural violence, human security, Nigeria, Niger Delta, gender and technology