Africa’s digital transformation is accelerating at an extraordinary pace. Across the continent, digital tools are reshaping how people access services, participate in economies and connect with one another. But as we move forward, an important question remains: who is being included, and on what terms?

As we mark International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) on 17 May – this year under the theme “At the heart of democracy” – this question takes on even greater urgency. Truly democratic societies depend on equity, participation and justice for all. And increasingly, that includes the digital spaces where people live, work and express themselves.

In a recent virtual side event at the 12th Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, we brought together community voices, policymakers and practitioners to explore this question. What emerged clearly from the discussion is that digital inclusion is no longer just about access. It is about safety, dignity and the ability to participate fully in society.

Because for many people, especially those already marginalized, being online is not always empowering. It can also be unsafe.

As Graeme Reid, the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, reminded us, digital spaces often mirror the inequalities we see offline and in our communities. Reid noted that the same patterns of exclusion and discrimination are replicated in digital environments, underscoring that this is not simply a question of connectivity, but of rights. When people face harassment, surveillance or violence online, their ability to express themselves, access information and seek support is fundamentally constrained.

This has very real consequences.

For young people in marginalized urban communities, including young key populations and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI+) people, digital platforms are often essential gateways – to health information, to economic opportunities and to community. But when those spaces are hostile or unsafe, that access becomes precarious. The promise of digital transformation begins to erode.

Farai Chirongoma of UNDP Zimbabwe emphasized that digital inclusion must go beyond access to address the realities people face online. He pointed to Zimbabwe’s e-monitor+ initiative, an AI-powered platform that helps detect and respond to disinformation, hate speech and online violence. Used across more than 15 countries, it supports governments, civil society and media actors to track trends and design more effective, evidence-based responses. These platforms are proving to be particularly important during election campaigns, which unfortunately are often associated with large increases in online hate speech.

By combining technology with human oversight, e-monitor+ shows how digital tools can help create safer, more inclusive online spaces, particularly for those most at risk of exclusion and harm. Without approaches like this, Farai noted, expanding access alone is not enough to ensure meaningful participation.

Melusi Simelane from the Southern Africa Litigation Centre brought a critical legal and policy perspective to the discussion. Ensuring digital safety, he noted, requires more than good intentions. It requires robust legal frameworks, accountability mechanisms and protections for fundamental rights. As digital technologies evolve, so too must the systems that safeguard those who use them. He also cautioned against over-regulation without analysis, noting that this often harms the people who need protection most, particularly LGBTI+ people, women and other marginalized populations.

What stood out to me throughout the conversation was how interconnected these issues are. Digital exclusion is not an isolated challenge – it directly affects health outcomes, limits economic participation and undermines human rights. When people cannot safely access digital services or spaces, the impacts ripple across every aspect of their lives.

This is why we must rethink what we mean by digital inclusion.

It is not enough to expand connectivity or digital literacy. Inclusion must also mean creating digital environments where people are protected, respected and able to participate without fear, and ensuring that those most affected are part of shaping the solutions. At its core, this is about strengthening the foundations of democratic societies, where everyone has a voice and the ability to participate safely and equally.

The urgency is clear. Africa’s digital transformation is moving quickly, and the choices we make now will define who benefits. If inclusion is not intentional, inequality will deepen.

But there is also an opportunity to do things differently.

By centering safety, dignity and rights, we can build digital spaces that expand opportunity rather than restrict it, and move closer to a future where no one is left behind in practice, not just in principle.

Turning the tide will require collective action and sustained commitment from governments, the private sector and civil society. As IDAHOBIT reminds us, inclusion is not only a matter of rights – it is fundamental to the health of our democracies. The momentum is there. The task now is to carry it forward.