Exploring Resources to Mobilize and Empower Women on Twitter: A Case of the Enlightenment Movement in Afghanistan

A considerable body of investigations has published with the focus on the impact of Social Media platforms especially Twitter (X) on the people mobilization and social movements around the world. However, the previous research with in-depth discussions shows the women's role in people mobilization and launching of social movements through twitter campaign is largely missing in the literature. This paper systematically explores the significance of Twitter in qualifying empowering women and mobilizing human resources to shape a social movement. This study examines how much the solidarity of the people on Twitter was instrumental in shaping the Enlightenment Movement and which sources were most involved in mobilizing them. This study using a qualitative approach investigates the possible relationships between the presence of educated women on Twitter and the formation of the Enlightenment Movement in Afghanistan. Intensive interviews of 25 participants showed that Twitter has a tremendously active role in empowering women. The findings of this study emphasize the effectiveness of the widespread presence of people on social media, especially Twitter, in recent years. Based on this study findings, scientific knowledge, awareness, social media and access to the new information technology, have a significant impact on women's empowerment.