[Blog] UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls: # NoExcuse

By Omolola Mary Lipede*

Put a finger up if you have ever seen, heard about, or experienced digital abuse online…

From classrooms to work environments, the digital world has become a lifeline for billions, connecting people, opening doors to education, employment, and civic engagement. Still, for millions of women and girls, these online spaces have become zones of fear, harassment, and violence. According to UN Women, 16–58% of women and girls have been subjected to digital violence, ranging from online harassment and cyberstalking to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. Behind every statistic is a real woman or girl navigating intimidation, threats, and harm-too often with little recourse.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, from November 25 to December 10, forms a powerful global platform for raising awareness and mobilizing action. This year, the focus on digital violence underlines a harsh reality: as society increasingly moves online, so has violence against women. Digital abuse is not “virtual”; it has real-world consequences: psychological trauma, economic losses, curtailed educational opportunities, and even threats to physical safety.

Without mincing words, digital violence is a gendered phenomenon. Women and girls-particularly young women, human rights defenders, journalists, and women in politics, are disproportionate targets online. These experiences are determined by gender norms, societal expectations, and unequal power structures that reinforce the patterns of control and intimidation perpetuated offline. Notably, digital abuse is not independent of other forms of gender-based violence but amplifies them.

The implications for these vices are far-reaching. A young girl may stop attending school because of cyberbullying. A woman entrepreneur might lose her livelihood in the wake of online harassment or identity theft. Women leaders may pull back from public engagement in the face of coordinated online attacks. Beyond individual harm, such patterns limit women’s participation in society, undermining equality and reinforcing structural inequalities.

In furtherance, these vices are also development issues. It undermines progress toward Sustainable Development Goals, particularly on SDG 5 dealing with gender equality, SDG 10 on reduced inequalities, and SDG 16 on peaceful, inclusive societies. Keeping women out of online spaces reduces their access to information and chances for civic and economic participation, causing ripples that stall development and weaken governance.

Despite these obvious social development issues, the responses remain largely inadequate. Legal frameworks remain weak or poorly implemented in many countries, according to UNWomen, while nations like South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Eswatini, Mauritius, and Rwanda have introduced cybercrime legislation, enforcement remains weak, and gender dimensions are often overlooked. More so, justice systems are ill-equipped, reporting is low, and perpetrators act across borders with almost no consequence. The rise of AI-generated abuse, impersonation, sextortion, and targeted harassment has made things worse. Meanwhile, technology platforms have not taken full responsibility for safe digital spaces. Each of these demands a coordinated response by governments, civil society, and technology companies.

We are at a critical moment for action! Thus, there is a need for comprehensive, gender-responsive policies. Member states in Africa must have strict laws with mechanisms for enforcement against harassment and exploitation online. Also, technology companies need to adopt safety-by-design principles and enhance reporting mechanisms to ensure platform accountability. More so, there is a need to implement digital literacy programs for girls, boys, and teachers about their rights, safety, and accountability online. Importantly, data collection and research should be intensified to track progress and inform interventions. 

Taking a leaf from the wisdom of my people, it takes a village to raise a child. Thus, it is notable to emphasize that ending digital violence requires the “whole village”: men, communities, institutions, and society as a whole to step up as allies; it is not only women’s responsibility. Ultimately, engaging men and boys in advocacy, challenging harmful norms, and promoting safe online behavior are key components to lasting change. This, therefore, requires active participation and cooperation of governments, civil society, and the private sector to make digital spaces safer, accountable, more inclusive, and empowering. As we mark 16 Days of Activism, let us remember this: DIGITAL SAFETY IS A HUMAN RIGHT. Violence online is VIOLENCE! Silence is complicity. Every post, every tweet, every online engagement either adds to the harm or helps to create safety. We can, together, make a world where no woman or girl has to live in fear of going online, where digital spaces amplify rather than endanger. A safer digital world for women and girls means a safer world for all! #NoExcuse!

Ms. Omolola Mary Lipede is an ECA 2025 Fellow in the Gender, Poverty and Social Policy Division.