Advocates Call for Action on Tech-Facilitated Violence
Women's rights groups urged stronger policies, regional cooperation and accountability to address online abuse targeting women and girls.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Women’s Issues
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At a regional convening in Lagos organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), women's rights advocates called for stronger policies, regional cooperation and accountability against technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. Participants from Kenya, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Senegal joined Nigerian stakeholders in the discussion.
Why it matters
Digital platforms have widened women's access to information and public participation, but they have also exposed them to harassment, cyberbullying and sextortion. Advocates say implementation gaps and limited access to justice leave many survivors without effective protection.
Nigeria's Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, and the Child Rights Act form the existing legal frameworks addressing abuse. Research under the UNTF ACT Project found some survivors receive inadequate support or are discouraged from reporting, and no prevalence figures were reported.
The players
Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC)
WARDC is a Nigerian organisation focused on research and documentation of women's rights issues that organised the Lagos convening.
UNTF ACT Project
The UNTF ACT Project is a initiative aiming to combat technology-facilitated gender-based violence across sub-Saharan Africa through collaboration and accountability.
The details
The convening, organised by WARDC in Lagos, examined how technology-facilitated violence often extends beyond online spaces and threatens victims' safety and mental health. The UNTF ACT Project seeks to unite women's rights organisations, grassroots movements, young activists and experienced feminist leaders to combat this violence across sub-Saharan Africa.
Timeline
• November 5, 2026: Regional convening on technology-facilitated violence held in Lagos.
Women's Issues Context
The convening builds on Nigeria's Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, which the advocates say faces implementation challenges that limit survivors' access to justice. The call for regional cooperation extends that national framework to a wider sub-Saharan context.
Women who use social platforms face harassment, cyberbullying and sextortion, and reporting such abuse can be difficult given implementation gaps. Advocates are pressing for stronger policies and clearer accountability to improve protection.
The takeaway
Knowing that existing laws exist but are unevenly enforced helps readers ask concrete questions of local institutions about reporting channels and survivor support. Awareness of digital safety practices, such as protecting personal images and documenting abuse, can also reduce risk.
Further reading
For broader coverage of gender equality and rights, explore Women's Issues.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News Agency of Nigeria.
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