By Cherie Oyier
It is a cold morning on the 17th February, 2025 and as I hurry through security checks at the UN Headquarters in Geneva, every security guard I encounter says “bonjour” in greeting. To each, I quickly respond with “hi, how are you?”. This is my universal signal to them that regardless of what my name sounds like, I am not a French speaker. It is also an exasperating reminder to myself that I should get back on my Duolingo App and maybe progress my lessons in all those languages I have subscribed to past the salutations classes.
As I make my way to the halls, I feel the familiar sensation of being an outsider – that subtle awareness that you are far from home and constantly calculating your words and movements to fit in. The Swiss temperatures have settled in my bones despite the building’s heating, and as I navigate through the corridors trying to figure out what number XXII is in English, suddenly I hear familiarity! Chatter from a distance in Swahili, and as I approach the group, the conversation suddenly changes to Dholuo! Around me, conversations are ongoing in an amazing colourful symphony of languages from different corners of the globe.
The Power of Mother Languages
Kenyans are at the UN headquarters in Geneva for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) pre-sessions because Kenya is one of 14 countries whose human rights status is under review during this UPR cycle. Coincidentally, International Mother Language Day falls on 21st February 2025, and therefore, there is a week-long celebration of multilingualism at the UN headquarters. The International Mother Language Day was established by UNESCO in the year 2000 to commemorate the 1952 Bengali Language Movement in Bangladesh, in honour and remembrance of 16 Bengali students who died defending the right of recognition of the Bengali language.
Languages do more than facilitate our day to day communication. They carry our cultural identities, histories and stories. When we speak our mother tongues, we don’t just express ourselves but also find connections to our communities and roots, enabling us to anchor to our sense of self. This connection to identity makes mother tongues powerful – both as tools that unify us and, unfortunately, as divisive weapons.
Local Languages as Agents of Perpetuating TFGBV in Kenya
Hearing your local languages in a foreign place can bring warmth and a sense of belonging; however, it is imperative to note that the same languages have been weaponised to cause harm and division among the same people it is meant to unify. In Kenya, our rich linguistic tapestry of about 68 languages has often been leveraged as a vehicle for perpetuating technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).
At KICTANet, our research work on TFGBV has often identified one key challenge, that where local languages are used to perpetuate TFGBV, such words often fly under the radar of content moderation systems designed primarily for languages spoken in the global north. Digital platforms, hence, have become battlegrounds where sexist, ethically charged, and politically motivated attacks are meted out in the different local languages. Attackers who are as versatile and agile as technology itself deliberately opt to use their local languages to evade detection and to maximise impact, knowing the emotional resonance the mother tongue carries.
KICTANet’s Response: Reclaiming Our Languages For Good
At KICTANet, we are keen on preserving Kenya’s local languages and utilise them as tools of unity, safety, and empowerment for all on the digital platforms. Our recent initiative involves developing comprehensive lexicons focusing on five Kenyan local languages including: Swahili, Gikuyu, Dholuo, Somali and Luhya. These lexicons identify and catalogue terms, phrases, and expressions commonly used in TFGBV contexts. By documenting how local languages are used to perpetrate TFGBV, we create resources that can inform better content moderation, more effective reporting mechanisms, and more nuanced digital safety training.
Our work recognizes that true digital safety must account for linguistic diversity. When platforms and policies are designed primarily around global languages like English, they leave significant protection gaps for speakers of local languages. These lexicons will also serve an educational purpose, that is, to help communities recognize harmful language patterns and support digital literacy programs that emphasize ethical online communication in mother tongues.
Building Digital Spaces That Honour All Voices
As an African and a Kenyan, International Mother Language Day is a reminder of the beauty of being multilingual almost by default. At the age of six, most Kenyans can already speak three languages or more. While at first, Dr. Grace Githaiga, Sarah Wesonga, and I submitted just three languages each for the multilingual photo booth set at the UN headquarters in Geneva, we were quickly reminded that we also speak Sheng’ and Shembeteng’ and they all deserve equal recognition. So, if you ever find the photo gallery or the flashcards with Sheng’ and Shembeteng’ at the UN headquarters in Geneva, we are the culprits, and we are very proud of our work.
That being said, our linguistic diversity is worth celebrating and protecting; however, true celebration means ensuring that our languages serve their highest purpose-fostering understanding, preserving culture, and bringing people together.
At KICTANet, we envision digital spaces where everyone expresses themselves freely in any language without fear of targeted harassment or abuse. Where content moderation works effectively across linguistic boundaries. Where our mother tongues remain sources of comfort and connection, like those unexpected words of Swahili and Dholuo that found me in Geneva.
Look out for our lexicons coming soon!
Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet
