By Justina Auta
The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), an NGO, has called for the adoption and enforcement of gender-responsive cyber laws to end technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TF-GBV) in Nigeria.
Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Founder, WARDC, made the call in a statement signed by Dr Princess Olufemi-Kayode, the Acting Executive Director, in Abuja, in commemoration of the 2025 16 Days of Activism to End GBV.
Akiyode-Afolabi reiterated the commitment to ending TF-GBV in Nigeria, stressing the need to strengthen survivor support, expand digital safety education and push for gender-responsive cyber laws and enforcement.
She said that harassment, stalking, non-consensual image sharing, doxxing and other forms of abuse in digital spaces have undermined safety, freedom of expression and participation of girls and women in public life.
“Digital spaces should expand women’s rights, not curtail them.
“During these 16 Days of Activism we urge government, tech companies, civil society and communities to unite in ending all forms of violence against women, online and offline.
”Survivors need law, policy and practice that recognise the harms of digital violence and delivers justice swiftly,” she said.
She called for urgent adoption and enforcement of gender-responsive cyber laws that explicitly recognise and criminalise forms of tech-facilitated abuse.
She listed such abuse to include non-consensual image distribution, doxxing and targeted online harassment.
Akiyode-Afolabi also called for survivor-centered digital support services; capacity building for law enforcement, judiciary and regulators; sustained public education, amongst others.
According to her, WARDC provides free legal support and litigation to survivors of GBV and instituted strategic actions to advance women’s rights and access to justice.
She said that the NGO had also delivered digital security and online-safety trainings for women activists, survivors and community groups.
“This is to equip them with tools to protect themselves online and to document incidents for redress.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman
