Legal Prospects for Achieving Epistemic Data Justice for Rural Women in Tanzania and Kenya

Abstract

Integrating digital technologies in agriculture helps to address the gender gap in the economic sector; however, it also raises a challenge of epistemic data injustices. Epistemic data injustices in this context occur when the production and processing of rural women's data through agricultural technologies potentially results in disregarding their legitimate knowledge. Contemporary experiences show that legal regimes for data protection in Tanzania and Kenya can address the problem, although not fully and effectively. Against this backdrop, this article discusses how additional legal principles of the rule of law, best practice, and respect for human rights could complement and reshape the legal regimes to better oblige technology developers to address epistemic data injustices experienced by rural women more effectively. Using a decolonial theoretical lens, the article critically analyzes key data protection safeguards in Kenya and Tanzania and proposes complementary principles to enhance them. The author concludes that these additional legal principles offer new pathways toward achieving epistemic data justice for rural women in the context of digital agricultural technologies.