Gustavo Fonseca Ribeiro’s Post

𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 is lousy language. It’s both inaccurate and colonialist. Because only 14% of humans live in countries referred to as the “international community.” And often “the terms ‘global’ or its much-used counterpart ‘international’ imply a world outside rich nations (often seen as the epicentre of everything progressive and ‘good’); a world which needs development or health assistance,” according to BMJ Global Health. Words matter. “Language is the repository of our prejudices, our beliefs, our assumptions,” says Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. That’s why many of our #nonprofit clients struggle with what to call where they work overseas. So here are five terminology options. ⤵ 🌍 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚, 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗗 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗘𝗗, 𝗩𝗨𝗟𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 ✖️ Always avoid due to deficit-based language. 🌎 𝗠𝗔𝗝𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 A more dignified term when discussing international work in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and parts of Oceania. ✔️ It nods to the power of 86% of the world’s population. ✖️ But it could feel divisive to those in the minority. ✖️ Global Majority is not fully recognized or official. ✖️ It may be mistaken as a majority in resources or influence. 🌏 𝗟𝗠𝗜𝗖 It’s a World Bank standard. And commonly used in global health. But: ✖️ LICs can be radically different from MICs. ✖️ Spelling it out is clunky in #communications. ✖️ LMIC can mean low-and-middle or lower-middle. ✖️ Classifying a country as poorer paints a negative picture. ✖️ 140+ countries is too big an addressable market for most nonprofits. 🌍 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛 Used by the WHO, World Economic Forum, and UN countries in the South. Furthermore: ✔️ It’s not deficit language. ✔️ It’s only a geographic reference. ✖️ But it doesn’t perfectly group all nations, e.g. Haiti is in the North and Australia in the South. We use Global South at MIGHTY ALLY because we’ve worked in 50 countries, so it helps us focus our messaging. 🌎 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗬 𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗘 (𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁) Many nonprofits and foundations focus in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or Oceania. Or a specific nation. ✔️ So isn’t the most precise and respectful way of describing where you work just saying where you work? Like if you work only in Nigeria, say Nigeria — not Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa. ✔️ Sure, these countries/continents are often massive. But eliminating “LMICs” in other regions will narrow your language. ✔️ If you plan to scale, just wait until you actually scale — then say other countries/continents too. In short: It’s a tricky topic with few correct answers. But some #messaging is less harmful than others. So it’s time to decolonize our vocabulary. Because jargon justice shapes reality. What term do you use and why?

It was indeed insightful debate @ DW Akademie, where the topic of my presentation was AI-generated Disinformation and it's Impact on Communities in Conflict Scenarios. I look forward to more of this🤓

Now that the dust has settled, I am really chuffed and pleased to have been involved - as a panellist and participant - in a two-day ASEAN-China Forum convened by The University of Hong Kong Centre on Contemporary China and the World. I had the pleasure of moderating a panel focusing on youth and education exchange between China and ASEAN, featuring: Prof. Huang Ping, former Director of the Centre for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Executive Vice President of the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong. H.E. Peter SOK, Secretary of State at the Cambodian Ministry of Telecommunications and Post. Stanley Chen Qiufan, Asia 21 fellow and renowned science fiction writer Lin Zaw Min, Founder of the Myanmar Institute of Public Policy The discussion was robust, candid, and fruitful. A few takeaways: 1) Politics stifles, whilst authenticity shines. The best means for China to overcome its soft power deficit in certain states, and to strengthen its ties with ASEAN's people, is via organic, non-politicised, and organic youth and education exchanges between the country and its Southeast Asian counterparts. There is the perennial risk of over-securitisation that undermines the value and potency of youth exchanges and dialogue. Top-down leadership is required to create the room and space for bottom-up experimentation. 2) Diversity must not only be recognised, but embraced. China and ASEAN alike should not be understood as monoliths, but as a highly diverse people - with their individual aspirations, ambitions, and visions. For far too long there is an overt failure on the part of the Global North to take seriously the heterogeneity and vivaciousness that is the Global South. South-South cooperation must forge itself on the basis of transparency, reciprocity, and a respect for the innate dignity and autonomy of small and medium states. Don't essentialise, but embrace, the ASEAN future. 3) Hong Kong needs to step up. Whilst we are geographically and demographically incredibly well positioned to play a bridging role and even greater part in facilitating more honest exchanges between China and ASEAN, our city at large is punching below our weight. We are not thinking anywhere nearly as rigorously and creatively about the niches and gaps that are missing in our status quo practice. Build up our linguistic capabilities, strengthen our appreciation of Islamic finance and Hindu laws, and bolster our ability to differentiate from the mainland -- as a way of shoring up our resilience and value-added to the RCEP economic ecosystem. I am a lifelong believer in the power of dialogue and conversations - between academics, educators, and teachers in particular - in mending and healing rifts. Hong Kong must take seriously its potential as a site of track 2 exchanges. Yes, there will be jarring words and contentious ideas. Yes, there will be points where we disagree. But no, we must not give up on listening with respect.

UNGA 79th High-Level week starting with major outcomes on digital governance—the Global Digital Compact and the HLAB Final Report. I’m looking forward to yet another incredible week in NY to discuss how our open innovation approaches can help accelerate achievement of the SDGs. 📢 I’m also thrilled to share Meta's third annual human rights report -- launching just in time for the UNGA. It covers detailed insights and actions from our work to manage human rights in calendar year 2023, as well as our engagement with international organizations. We are also launching our Meta’s Responsible Business Practices Report. Human Rights Report: https://lnkd.in/gbSZvph2 Responsible Business Practices Report: https://lnkd.in/eKB_cF37 #UNGA #Diplomacy #Cooperation #Humanrights #Reponsibility #GDC #AI #Meta

𝑮𝙝𝒂𝙣𝒂 𝑳𝙖𝒖𝙣𝒄𝙝𝒆𝙨 𝙍𝒆𝙖𝒅𝙞𝒏𝙚𝒔𝙨 𝘼𝒔𝙨𝒆𝙨𝒔𝙢𝒆𝙣𝒕 𝒇𝙤𝒓 𝑬𝙩𝒉𝙞𝒄𝙖𝒍 𝑨𝙄 𝘼𝒅𝙤𝒑𝙩𝒊𝙤𝒏 (#RAM) The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD) of Ghana, in collaboration with UNESCO, has unveiled the 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝙼𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 (𝚁𝙰𝙼) for the 𝙴𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚄𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 (𝙰𝙸) in the country. This event, held in Accra, aimed to explore how AI can be ethically leveraged to shape Ghana's future across various sectors. During the launch, the Hon. Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, emphasized the transformational impact of AI over the next five years and the government's efforts to expand nationwide connectivity, crucial for AI adoption. She stressed the importance of investing in AI knowledge and skills to prepare the next generation for an AI-driven future, while also highlighting the need to address the lack of digital infrastructure to ensure no one is left behind. Mr. Edmond Moukala, Head of UNESCO's Accra office, noted the privilege for Ghana to be one of two African nations selected for the AI readiness assessment. He underscored the importance of grounding AI development in the cultural and ethical realities of Africa, with systems that understand local languages, values, and traditions. The event also featured discussions on Ghana's National AI Strategy, which aims to harness AI for national development by building capacity, promoting ethical AI use, and fostering research and innovation. Experts from UNESCO emphasized the practical challenges in rolling out AI, particularly in terms of infrastructure and digital literacy, and the need for targeted AI training programs to empower both public and private sector workers. Check out more about Readiness Assessment Measurement: https://lnkd.in/dMReaAsa #GhanaAI #EthicalAI #AIReadiness #AfricanTech #DigitalTransformation

⛔ Can we disable #hatespeech on #socialmedia? 📲 In a 2023 article, the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) cites the study "Disrupting hate: The effect of deplatforming hate organizations on their online audience", by Laila A. Wahedi and Daniel Robert Thomas, according to which the expulsion of toxic leaders by social media companies is effective in stopping the spread of hate speech. 🕵️ But, what other measures can be implemented? With contributions from professors Dolors Reig and Silvia Martínez Martínez, the UOC article includes three: ✅ Do not feed hate speech by commenting or sharing. Algorithms "reward" content that generates more interactions. ✅ Train young people in the use of social networks. ✅ Report the content or user involved in hate speech. 🌐 In this context, the Include Me+ project, funded by the European Union, seeks to identify effective strategies to promote, strengthen and improve the processes of social #inclusion, citizen participation and #peacebuilding through mediation in #digitalmedia. Source: https://lnkd.in/dvfmzp5q

🚀 Exciting News! 🌍 I'm thrilled to share the publication of my latest policy brief, "Ethical Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence in Crime Control and Public Order Management in Kenya," published by the African Peacebuilding Network, where I am a 2023/2024 Fellow and the Social Science Research Council. This brief explores the transformative potential of AI in enhancing public safety and law enforcement while emphasizing the critical need for robust ethical frameworks. Key highlights include: - Cultural Sensitivity: AI deployment must respect Kenya's diverse cultural, social, and political contexts. - Human Rights Focus: Prioritizing safeguards against unlawful surveillance and discrimination. - Dynamic Governance: Establishing adaptable guidelines to keep pace with technological and societal shifts. - Stakeholder Collaboration: Involving policymakers, technologists, legal experts, and civil society in developing and implementing AI policies. My findings are based on in-depth interviews with experts from various fields, offering invaluable insights into the cultural, social, political, and ethical implications of AI in Kenya. This brief aims to guide the responsible use of AI, ensuring it serves the greater good, respects human rights, and enhances societal well-being. A journey towards ethical AI! Together, we can create a future where technology and humanity coexist harmoniously. Cc AI4D Africa | IAPD Afrique Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) Read the full brief here: https://lnkd.in/dRBKJHEc #AI #Ethics #PublicSafety #Kenya #PolicyBrief #HumanRights #TechnologyForGood #AIGovernance #Peacebuilding #AfricanPeacebuildingNetwork #AIAfrica

I've been in the "please like me" business for a longtime. Not just because I'm a first-gen female immigrant  who grew up in the '80s (#iykyk), but because I launched my career  at the State Department in an area called public diplomacy (PD). The shorthand of PD is 'PR for the U.S. government' The longhand of PD is soft power,  i.e. fostering people-to-people connections  so that foreign audiences  have favorable  impressions of the U.S. 🗒 I decided to start with an easy task (sarcasm):  to work on fostering collabs  with people in Muslim-majority countries. I had lived experience on my side  as well as a few relevant degrees in foreign policy and regional studies. But the work was hard.  It was too personal. 💔 Staring at, and trying to dismantle, deep bias and hatred towards  one's identity is never easy. Without getting into debate or detail  (please use the comment section kindly),  Islamophobia is alive and well. Fast forward a lot of years,  I've recently realized  how useful that work  became to me as a tech founder. 🇺🇸 In government, I had a product that I couldn't change based on user feedback, but that I had to find a way to sell. And on top of that, I had to find a way to get people to LIKE it. Which honed my cultural literacy chops a lot. I was often the go-between internally, with colleagues who had broad brush notions of what being Muslim meant  (newsflash: there's no one meaning), and being in countries where many locals didn't believe I could be representing the U.S.  government with my brown skin. And now, as I launch my own practice in the care tech space, what I love about reading  my story backwards is this: both public diplomacy & care tech  required the same superpowers: 1️⃣ the ability to bridge worlds  2️⃣ amplify unheard voices 3️⃣ and uncover how they, as a market, want to be served  (2008 throwback, rep'ing the U.S. at UNESCO General Conference in Paris)

BLOG | False and misleading information, amplified by AI and digital technologies, threatens public discourse and democracy—especially in the Global South. Research ICT Africa recently joined partners at Stellenbosch University for a workshop on the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) -funded project, 'Resisting Information Disorder in the Global South'. Together with Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, InternetLab - human rights and internet policy think tank Brazil, and LIRNEasia, RIA is focused on: 1️⃣ The identification of key political drivers and their implications for information disorder in the Global South, including its impact on elections, populism, protests, activism, gender and regulatory efforts. 2️⃣ The development of effective legal, regulatory and governance responses to counter information disorder in the Global South context. By addressing these challenges, we aim to strengthen democracy and build informed societies across the Global South. 🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/4ey3nrC #InformationDisorder #Disinformation #GlobalSouth #AI #DigitalInclusion #Collaboration

A gender-neutral pronoun that treats everyone equally - did you know that the Finnish language already has that (as well as other languages from the Finno-Ugric family)? 🤔 One could argue that the word in itself doesn't make for a more equal society. However, it may represent a step forward - and it's already a great way to make language more #inclusive. Find out more in the article below: 🔗https://lnkd.in/dkuRfuDt ________________________ Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) Gender and ICT (GenTIC) JOANNEUM RESEARCH Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI Jagiellonian University notus-asr GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences Europa Media Radboud University Syddansk Universitet - University of Southern Denmark Hasselt University ZRC SAZU – Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts FLACSO Argentina INNOSYSTEMS | Innovation Systems Portia gGmbH