By Ejiofor Toochi
Edited by Ezennia Uche
Nigeria has joined the 2025 global 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence, from 25 November to 10 December.
With the theme “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls,” the campaign draws attention to the rising threat of technology-facilitated abuse targeting women and girls. According to the United Nations, one in three women worldwide has experienced violence, underscoring what experts describe as a global human rights emergency.
Digital abuse includes a wide range of violations such as non-consensual sharing of intimate images, cyberbullying, sexual harassment, deepfake pornography, hate speech, doxxing, online stalking, grooming, impersonation, and coordinated misogynistic attacks. These forms of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) often leave deep emotional and psychological scars and, in some cases, escalate into physical danger.
First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in a statement commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, emphasized the urgency of confronting online abuse.
“Digital spaces should foster genuine human connection, facilitate learning, and promote productivity, not fear,” she wrote, condemning the bullying, blackmail, stalking, and gender-based hate that many women face online. She called on government institutions, technology companies, civil society, and Nigerians at large to take bold and coordinated action to make digital environments safe, inclusive, and respectful for all.
In Lagos, the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has launched an enlightenment series to educate residents about the dangers of TFGBV and how to respond.
The 2025 UNiTE campaign is urging the government to criminalize digital violence, strengthen data protection, and enforce accountability across the tech sector. It also calls on technology companies to enhance platform safety, remove harmful content, and publish transparent reports. Donors are encouraged to support feminist organizations and digital rights advocates, while individuals are urged to speak out, support survivors, and challenge harmful online norms.
Ending digital violence in Nigeria requires collective action at every level of society.
#NoExcuse and #ACTtoEndViolence
