As the global community launches the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, ActionAid Nigeria has sounded an urgent alarm about the escalating crisis of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence targeting women and girls across the country.
The Dual Crisis: Physical and Digital Threats
ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Andrew Mamedu, revealed in Abuja that digital platforms originally designed to empower women are increasingly being weaponized to harass, stalk, and silence them. This digital threat compounds the physical dangers girls already face in educational institutions amid Nigeria's worsening security situation.
Dr. Mamedu emphasized that one in four Nigerian girls experiences sexual violence before reaching age 18, creating a devastating combination of online and offline threats that rob girls of safety, education, and future opportunities.
Education Under Siege
The organization highlighted the severe impact of insecurity on Nigeria's education system, particularly in northern regions. The recent abduction of 25 students and the killing of a Vice-Principal at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, exemplifies the fear gripping many communities.
Schools across multiple states including Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Bauchi, Kebbi, and 41 Unity schools have been forced to close due to security concerns, pushing children out of classrooms. UNICEF data shows that 60% of out-of-school children in northern Nigeria are girls, with this figure expected to rise as insecurity persists.
Survivors of abductions often face sexual and domestic slavery, while perpetrators extend their threats into digital spaces, amplifying fear and intimidation through online channels.
Forms and Impact of Digital Violence
Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria manifests in various disturbing forms:
- Cyberstalking and persistent online harassment
- Non-consensual sharing of intimate images
- Deepfakes and digital manipulation
- Doxxing and privacy violations
- Sextortion and digital blackmail
These abuses isolate and shame women and girls, disrupting their education, employment, and social participation. A 2024 UNFPA report indicates that between 16% and 58% of women and girls worldwide experience TFGBV, with Nigeria recording over 6,000 GBV cases in just the first five months of 2024.
Tech-enabled abuse has particularly severe consequences for women and girls already marginalized by factors such as ethnicity, disability, or geographic location. Reports from organizations including Hivos and the Development Research and Projects Centre confirm that TFGBV intensifies trauma, suppresses voices, and perpetuates cycles of poverty.
Call to Action
ActionAid Nigeria, alongside women's rights organizations and communities across 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory, has issued urgent demands to multiple stakeholders:
- Domesticate and implement the African Commission Resolution 522 (2023) on protection from internet-based violence
- Arrest and prosecute perpetrators of school abductions to reduce educational insecurity
- Establish a National Task Force on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence
- Allocate specific budget lines for digital safety of women and girls in 2026 appropriations
- Strengthen survivor-centered reporting and justice mechanisms for both physical and online GBV
The organization emphasized that women's safety is everyone's responsibility—requiring decisive action from individuals, communities, and institutions alike. Through initiatives like the Safe Cities project, Women's Voice and Leadership Nigeria project, and community-based GBV response programs, ActionAid Nigeria continues to champion safe spaces for women and girls.
The collective call to action aims to ensure every Nigerian girl can learn, live, and thrive without fear, both in digital spaces and physical environments.
