CLTC Boss Abiola Raises Alarm Over Digital Gender Violence

The Director General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Rinsola Abiola, has stated that digital gender violence is become a growing threat to women’s safety and public participation

She reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to combating all forms of violence, particularly the rising wave of digital abuse targeted at women and girls.

Abiola stated this as the world marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and beginning of the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

In a statement issued to commemorate the global campaign, Ms. Abiola aligned the Centre with this year’s theme, “UNITE! To End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls,” describing it as a timely reminder that gender-based violence now extends deeply into online spaces where millions of Nigerians increasingly interact, learn, work and express themselves.

She noted that digital violence which includes cyberbullying, online harassment, hate speech and the non-consensual sharing of intimate content has become a growing threat to women’s safety and public participation.

“Digital violence is a profound failure of citizenship,” she said. “It strips victims of their dignity, silences women’s voices in public discourse and undermines the health of our democracy. Responsible citizenship in the 21st century must extend into the digital realm.”

Ms. Abiola emphasized that the CLTC, whose core mandate is grooming responsible citizens and shaping future leaders, views the digital space as an essential frontier for leadership.

She explained that true leadership is “power used for protection,” stressing that the abuse of digital platforms to harass or intimidate others contradicts the values of discipline, patriotism and empathy that the Centre instills in young Nigerians.

“We must teach our young people to be architects of safe, inclusive digital communities—not contributors to digital decay,” she stated.

Reiterating the Centre’s resolve to confront digital gender-based violence, Ms. Abiola outlined several commitments, including the continued integration of digital citizenship and ethics into CLTC’s training curriculum, targeted advocacy to challenge the impunity often associated with online abuse, and strengthened partnerships with technology stakeholders to promote online safety and support protective policies.

She called on Nigerian youth, who make up a large portion of online users, to become active allies in ending digital violence by challenging harmful content, promoting respectful online behaviour and creating safer virtual spaces for women and girls.

“As we observe these 16 days, let us unite to end digital violence and build a future where every woman and girl can participate fully and without fear,” the DG said.