Inclusive Language

The Mukoko ecosystem serves users across Africa — a continent of 1.4 billion people, 54 countries, and thousands of languages and cultures. Our language must be inclusive, respectful, and free of assumptions.

Pan-African context

Avoid geographic bias

• Do not treat any single country as representative of “Africa”
• Do not assume all African users share the same culture, language, or economic context
• Reference specific countries or regions when being specific is important

✓ "Available in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Kenya"
✗ "Available across Africa" (when it is only in three countries)

✓ "Popular in Southern Africa"
✗ "Popular in Africa"

Economic sensitivity

• Do not assume access to high-speed internet, expensive devices, or credit cards
• Design for the full range of economic contexts
• Avoid language that implies financial status

✓ "Works on any device"
✗ "Optimized for the latest smartphones"

✓ "Choose a plan that works for you"
✗ "Upgrade to premium for the full experience"

Gender

• Use gender-neutral language by default
• Avoid assuming gender from names, roles, or contexts

✓ "They submitted the form"
✗ "He submitted the form"

✓ "The developer can configure..."
✗ "He or she can configure..."

✓ "Sales representative"
✗ "Salesman"

✓ "Chair" or "Chairperson"
✗ "Chairman"

Technical terminology

Avoid exclusionary metaphors

Some common technical terms carry exclusionary connotations. Use neutral alternatives:

These alternatives are already used in the Mukoko codebase (e.g., ai-safety.ts uses “allowlist validation”).

Ability and disability

• Do not use disability as a metaphor
• Focus on what the system does, not what the user cannot do

✓ "This feature is not available offline"
✗ "You are unable to use this feature offline"

✓ "Screen reader compatible"
✗ "For blind users"

Names and identity

Name fields

• Use a single “Full name” field rather than forcing first/last name separation
• African naming conventions vary widely — some cultures use patronymic names, some use clan names, some have single names
• Never validate name length (some names are one character, some are very long)
• Support Unicode characters in name fields

{/* Correct — flexible name input */}
<Field>
  <FieldLabel>Full name</FieldLabel>
  <Input name="fullName" />
</Field>
 
{/* Incorrect — assumes Western naming convention */}
<Field>
  <FieldLabel>First name</FieldLabel>
  <Input name="firstName" />
</Field>
<Field>
  <FieldLabel>Last name</FieldLabel>
  <Input name="lastName" />
</Field>

Phone numbers

• Always support international format with country code
• Do not assume a default country code
• Support the + prefix

Addresses

• Do not assume a Western address format (street, city, state, zip)
• Many African addresses use landmarks, area names, or postal agency addresses
• Make address fields flexible, not rigidly structured

Religion and culture

• Do not assume religious holidays or observances
• Avoid expressions rooted in specific religious traditions
• Use secular date references: “end of year” not “Christmas period”

Age and experience

• Do not assume technical literacy or inexperience based on age
• Avoid patronizing language in tutorials: “simply” and “just” imply the task is easy
• Write instructions that respect all experience levels

✓ "Run the install command"
✗ "Simply run the install command"

✓ "Configure the theme provider"
✗ "Just add the theme provider"

Review checklist

When reviewing content, ask:

• Would this make sense to someone in Lagos, Nairobi, Harare, and Cape Town?
• Does it avoid assumptions about gender, religion, or economic status?
• Are technical terms free of exclusionary metaphors?
• Do name and identity fields accommodate diverse naming conventions?
• Is the tone respectful and empowering, not patronizing?