In an era where technology is deeply woven into daily life, it has also become a new frontier for gender-based violence. This blog series, accompanying the Sounds About Right podcast episodes, focuses on "Digital Harm, Real Impact: Understanding and Addressing Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls in West and Central Africa." The project originated as an in-depth research assignment in Professor Nabaneh’s Gender, Women’s Rights and Global Politics course. It is a collaborative effort between the University of Dayton Human Rights Center and UN Women West and Central Africa, aiming to translate academic findings into meaningful advocacy and action against Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls (TF-VAWG).
Protecting Her Voice: The Fight Against Online Gender-Based Violence
In today’s world, being online is not optional. From education and business to politics and social activism, digital spaces have become essential for everyday life. But for women and girls across West and Central Africa, the intent is often not a place of opportunity; it's a place of danger. Online abuse has taken on new and disturbing forms: deepfakes, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, cyberstalking, and relentless harassment on social media. These attacks are not just digital inconveniences; they cause real emotional, social, and economic harm. Many women respond by withdrawing entirely from online spaces, limiting their ability to learn, work, and participate in public life.
Why Digital Safety is a Human Rights Issue
Online gender-based violence is not just a tech problem; it’s a human rights issue. It impacts freedom of expression, the right to privacy, and even access to education and employment. When women are silenced online, societies lose powerful voices and perspectives that are essential for inclusive development.
Digital safety is directly tied to equality. A society cannot claim to promote gender equality if half its population feels unsafe in digital environments. Protecting women online is about more than stopping harassment; it's about enabling participation, empowerment, and justice.
Outdated Laws in a Rapidly Changing Digital World
Across many African countries, legal systems have struggled to keep pace with rapidly changing online threats, leaving gaps in protections against technology-facilitated gender-based violence
- Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act (2015) and Violence Against Persons Act (2015) tackle fraud and physical violence, but not deepfakes or revenge porn.
- Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act (2020) created a strong framework for fighting digital crime, yet it overlooks gender-based abuse.
- Cameroon’s Cybersecurity Law (2010)
- focuses on identity theft and defamation, but ignores digital harassment.
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Sexual Violence Law (2006) doesn't account for technology-based abuse.
Regulatory frameworks, such as the Maputo Protocol, emphasize women's rights and data protection. However, implementation varies widely, and most countries haven’t incorporated these standards into national law. In short, the laws exist, but they are outdated, inconsistent, and not gender-sensitive.
Even when laws exist, enforcement is a major challenge given the barriers to justice and accountability. Police, judges, and prosecutors often lack the training and resources needed to handle digital evidence or support survivors of online violence. Many victims never report incidents. Cultural stigma, fear of retaliation, and lack of accountability give perpetrators the confidence to continue harassing and exploiting women without consequences.
Building Solutions: From Law to Action
To make online spaces safer, reforms must happen on multiple levels.
- Strengthen and Update Laws: Governments must explicitly criminalize online forms of gender-based violence, deepfakes, non-consensual image sharing, and cyber harassment. These definitions should be clear and supported by enforceable penalties.
- Train Law Enforcement and the Judiciary: Regional bodies like the African Union can partner with organizations such as UN Women to train police, judges, and prosecutors. Training should cover how to collect and protect digital evidence, apply international standards, and support survivors with sensitivity and confidentiality.
- Improve Reporting and Support Systems: Governments should establish confidential online reporting portals and national hotlines that connect victims with legal, psychological, and technical support. Civil society and women's rights groups can play a critical role in awareness and outreach.
- Hold Technology Companies Accountable: Tech companies must be legally required to remove harmful content within a set timeframe and publish transparent reports on how they handle abuse. If platforms can track data for profit, they can track and respond to harassment, too.
- Foster Regional Cooperation: Because digital crimes cross borders, collaboration is key. The AU and ECOWAS should harmonize legal standards, share digital forensics expertise, and coordinate cross-border investigations.
Digital safety for women is essential to building inclusive, democratic societies. If women are forced offline by fear or abuse, the digital divide widens, and so does inequality. Protecting women and girls online is not just about punishing offenders; it's about creating systems that prevent harm, empower survivors, and promote dignity.
Conclusion: A Call for Collective Responsibility
West and Central Africa are at a crossroads. The tools for digital empowerment exist, but without strong laws and accountability, they risk reinforcing existing inequalities. Governments must modernize legislation, law enforcement must be trained to act, and technology companies must take responsibility for the environments they've created. A safer internet isn't just a policy goal, it's a human right. Protecting women online protects the promise of an equal and inclusive digital future for all.
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Camryn Surratt is a political science major at the University of Dayton with a strong focus on public policy and legal studies. She aims to pursue a career in law, leveraging her leadership experience and academic background to advance impactful policy solutions.