Women Leaders Decry Rise In Digital Violence, Seek Support

The National Women Leaders Forum of Political Parties in Nigeria (NWLFPPN) has called on the federal government and digital experts to take immediate action and curb the rise in digital violence, which they said was mainly targeted at women in politics.

President of the Forum, Hon. Amina Darasimi Bryhm, made the call in Abuja during a commemorative dialogue for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and International Human Rights Day 2025, convened to advance feminist leadership and end digital attacks on politically active women.

Bryhm, who expressed deep concern over increasing use of cyberbullying, online sexual harassment, as well as coordinated disinformation, cyber stalking, doxing, threats, and hate speech, also lamented that those criminal threats have been used by many as tools to intimidate and silence women in active politics.

While emphasising that digital technologies hold tremendous potential for democratic engagement, the women leaders, in a circular signed by their President, lamented that digital technology has simultaneously become “dangerous arenas where gender-based violence thrives.”

The women emphasised that there is an urgent need to create safe, inclusive digital and physical spaces where women can exercise their political voice without fear of harassment or retaliation.

She advocated for national laws that explicitly address digital violence against women in politics, while also demanding stricter accountability and improved content moderation from social media platforms operating in Nigeria.

“We are calling for the adoption of feminist, gender-sensitive party policies that prohibit all forms of gender-based political violence, including online abuse, establish confidential reporting and protection systems within political parties and institutionalised mandatory training on feminist leadership and digital safety.

“A strengthened women’s digital security skills and resilience, while creating intra-party mentoring systems for women leaders, as well as establishing robust legal, psychosocial, and rapid-response support for survivors of digital or physical political violence”, they requested.

The communique further demanded cross-party solidarity to encourage women across all political parties to condemn any attack on a female political actor publicly, and hold regular dialogues to share strategies, track trends in digital violence, and coordinate collective advocacy.

The communique also called on the leadership of political parties to prioritise and finance the implementation of these resolutions, especially the National Assembly, to enforce the law and the judiciary to strengthen and enforce laws against online harassment.

It also called on social media and tech companies to invest in local moderation, improve accountability systems, and protect women online, as well as civil society and the media, to document abuses and hold all actors accountable.

“Ending digital violence against women in politics is not just a women’s issue; it is a prerequisite for Nigeria’s democratic future,” the women leaders said.