MILaap: Media Information Literacy Awareness and Action Program
MILaap: Media Information Literacy Awareness and Action Program is Digital Empowerment Foundation’s flagship initiative aimed at tackling the growing challenges of misinformation and digital exclusion, particularly at the grassroots level in India. In a rapidly digitising country, where millions are coming online for the first time, the ability to critically engage with media is no longer optional—it’s essential. MILaap equips individuals with the skills to interpret and evaluate media and information content, empowering them to become informed users and responsible creators of digital content.
One of the core challenges MILaap addresses is the gender digital divide, which continues to marginalise women and girls across India. Despite the increasing penetration of smartphones and internet access, women in South Asia are still 31% less likely than men to use mobile internet. In India specifically, boys are 1.5 times more likely to own a mobile phone and 1.8 times more likely to own a smartphone than girls. As of early 2024, only 31.4% of India’s social media users are women. This gap is not just about access to technology—it translates into reduced access to education, economic opportunities, and participation in civic discourse, further deepening existing social inequalities.
Communities at the margins—women, rural populations, and those with limited access to formal education—are the most vulnerable to these digital threats. Without the skills to verify information or the confidence to participate in digital spaces, these groups are further marginalised, creating a dangerous cycle of exclusion and misinformation.
This is where MILaap steps in. Through community-led training sessions in local languages, the project fosters awareness around digital rights, online safety, media ethics, and critical thinking. Special focus is given to women and young people, who are often excluded from digital discourse. The initiative also leverages tools like the Humara MIL Kit for the Multiverse of Digital Fallacies—an interactive learning toolkit designed to demystify digital fallacies and promote responsible content creation.
