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31Jan

African Women’s Digital Safety: From Resolution to Reality

Author CIPESA Posted on

Edrine Wanyama |

Amplifying the Resolution on the Protection of Women Against Digital Violence in Africa: Towards Meaningful Actions by States

Two and a half years after the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) adopted the Resolution on the Protection of Women Against Digital Violence in Africa, its implementation remains a pipe dream. With Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) continuing to proliferate across the continent, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is challenging African governments to use the occasion of International Women’s Day to commit to taking legislative and practical measures to implement this pivotal resolution.

ACHPR/Res. 522 (LXXII) 2022 is important as it offers ground breaking approaches to addressing digital violence against women on the African continent.  While the digital realm should be a space of innovation and empowerment, it has become a battleground where women face harassment, intimidation, and violence. The non-consensual sharing of intimate images, sexist hate speech, misogynistic disinformation campaigns, cyberstalking, cyber bullying, cyber flashing, unsolicited sexually explicit content, doxing, deep fakes, trolling and mansplaining have steadily increased and contributed to a growing digital gender divide in Africa. 

This digital gender divide further exacerbates existing inequalities and hinders progress towards achieving gender equality in the region, stripping girls and women of their voices and hindering meaningful participation in online discourse. The inequalities also hinder the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 5 that, among others, aims to advance gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls as a prerequisite for development.

Given the snail-speed implementation of the 2022 Resolution, in 2024  the Commission adopted another resolution, ACHPR/Res.591 (LXXX) 2024, which mandates the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa to undertake a study on the causes, manifestations, and impacts of digital violence against women in Africa. It also aims to further the development of comprehensive norms and standards to assist countries ​in ​address​ing TFGBV.  

This Resolution underscores the need to fulfill Article 9 of the African Charter on free expression and access to information, and Article 4 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa on the rights to life, integrity and security of the person of the woman. 

According to CIPESA’s Programme Manager, Ashnah Kalemera, governments are not to be reminded of their obligations with regards to gender equity online but should take all the necessary measures and “accelerate actions including adopting appropriate laws to address TFGBV.” 

While TFGBV has become a major global challenge, many approaches adopted to tackle it on the continent either fall short of the capability to hold those responsible for rights violations accountable, or focus on curtailing the digital civic spaces. For example, electoral periods such as in Uganda have  witnessed  multiple reports of targeted online violence against women, with some existing laws on cybercrime often targeting the female victims and not the perpetrators of gender-based violence online.

In a recent report on Kenya, almost 90% of young adults enrolled in tertiary institutions in the country’s capital Nairobi have reportedly suffered gender-based violence in online spaces, with 39% having experienced the harms personally. These harms, according to the study, are more pronounced amongst females (64.4%) in comparison to males (35.5%). Meanwhile, sexism and sexualisation of content such as in Zimbabwe and Uganda, attacks on female journalists in Ghana, Namibia and Tanzania, the harassment of female journalists in South Africa and against women in politics  in Kenya continually undermined their political and public affairs.

Guided by this year’s theme, Accelerate Actions to commemorate International Women’s Day, CIPESA calls on African governments to undertake the following actions to implement Resolution ACHPR/Res. 522 (LXXII) 2022.

Adopt Gender-Sensitive Legal and Policy Frameworks

Adoption of gender-sensitive legal and policy frameworks is critical to provide the legal basis for addressing TFGBV. States, technology companies including social media platforms, media and news organisations, and other stakeholders should recognise online violence from a gender lens, enact laws and policies that employ gender-balanced language, criminalise all forms of online violence and prioritise the digital safety of women and girls.

Evidence-Based Research for Gendered Actions

Evidence-based research is crucial for innovation and development of effective gendered actions to inform targeted interventions, policies, and programs that aim to combat online violence. Data that establishes the nature, prevalence, extent and the risk factors of TFGBV and the impact it poses should be collected and analysed by states alongside other stakeholders like CSOs. Such studies can be the foundational basis for identifying and addressing the root causes of the violence for more effective gendered actions against the vice.

Capacity Building and Awareness Raising

In line with the resolution, there is a need for capacity building and awareness raising in addressing TFGBV. Capacity building and awareness raising through various fora such as the media has the capacity to empower governments, individuals, communities, and institutions to understand, prevent, and respond to violence against women. Programmes such as digital literacy, advocacy interventions, community and network-led education, and capacitating law enforcement officers, the judiciary and other institutions will contribute to the wider goal of addressing online violence targeting women. Specific efforts in privacy awareness, online safety and digital hygiene will contribute to the creation of safer spaces for women who are disproportionately targeted by online violence.

Cooperation with Stakeholders including CSOs and Service Providers

The Resolution calls for cooperation of states with stakeholders including CSOs and service providers to end TFGBV. Collaboration amongst these players can help to combat TFGBV. CSOs can continually play the watchdog role of outreach and monitoring state efforts and activities. Service providers should engage in promoting responsibility over content and enhance accountability over the use of the online spaces and platforms. Similarly, there should be joint efforts to end violence against women such as through information sharing, capacity building, conducting joint campaigns and employing policy advocacy and tech solutions such as use of technology tools to track and investigate suspected cases of violence against women.

Protection and Support for Victims

The effects of violence in any form can be devastating. The devastating effects call for mitigation of the harm caused and empowering of survivors to heal and seek justice. States need to adopt comprehensive approaches which facilitate mitigation of harms including taking appropriate action for immediate support and providing safe spaces for survivors, safety planning and documentation of evidence. Similarly, clear mechanisms for reporting and redress including law enforcement and legal assistance for survivors can go a long way in victim support. Psychological and emotional support and providing self-care resources are also key. Additionally, digital security and privacy support, community support and advocacy such as awareness raising, provision of specialised services such as trauma-informed care and culturally sensitive services, and education including digital literacy programmes and public awareness aimed at enhancing preventive measures are important strategies for combating TFGBV. 

Buttressing Prevention Measures

The ACHPR/Res. 522 (LXXII) 2022 enlists a number of actions which African Union Member States should undertake. If undertaken, these actions could check on tech-enabled violence against women. They could also be the basis upon which equality in the enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms in the online space can be achieved. By strengthening prevention measures, a society that is pro-rights and freedoms that ensures a safe and inclusive space for empowering women and girls will be attained. Thus, individuals, groups, and communities through buttressed approaches will be equipped with knowledge, tools and skills to prevent, respond to and combat online violence.


Conclusively, the ACHPR/Res. 522 (LXXII) 2022 is a step forward in the fight against gender discrimination and women targeted violence in the online spaces. It sets a powerful benchmark for dealing with and addressing TFGBV. Its multi-faceted approach of bringing various stakeholders including governments, civil society, and the private sector together and, dealing with the issues in a comprehensive manner especially by states, provides a progressive roadmap for creating a safer and more inclusive online environment for women across Africa.

10Dec

Human Rights Day: Here’s How African Countries Should Advance Digital Rights

Author CIPESA Posted on

By Edrine Wanyama and Patricia Ainembabazi |

As the world marks Human Rights Day 2024, themed Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now, we are reminded of the urgent need to advance and protect human rights in an increasingly digital world.  Today, CIPESA joins the world in commemorating Human Rights Day and reflecting on the immense opportunities that the digital age brings for the realisation of human rights. Indeed, this year’s theme emphasises the need for immediate actions to safeguard rights in the digital sphere for a just and equitable future.

Whereas human rights have traditionally been enjoyed in offline spaces, the digital landscape presents unprecedented opportunities for the enjoyment of a broad range of rights, including access to information, civic participation, and freedom of expression, assembly, and association. However, the potential of digital technology to catalyse the enjoyment of these rights has steadily been threatened by challenges such as internet shutdowns, regressive laws that enable governments to clamp down on the digital civic space, and the digital divide.

The threats to digital rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Africa are numerous. They are often the result of growing authoritarianism and repression, political instability, corruption, the breakdown of public institutions, gender disparities, and growing socio-economic inequalities. Below are key intervention areas to advance digital rights on the continent.

Combat Internet  Shutdowns and Internet Censorship  

Internet shutdowns are increasingly used as a tool to suppress dissent, stifle freedom of expression, restrict access to information and freedom of assembly and association. The #KeepItOn coalition documented at least 146 incidents of shutdowns in 37 countries in Africa between January 2016 and June 2023. These disruptions continue despite evidence that they harm individuals’ rights, are counterproductive for democracy, and have long lasting impacts on national economies and individuals’ livelihoods.

A separate survey of 53 African countries shows that, as of 2023, the majority (44) had restrictions on political media, 34 had implemented social media restrictions, two restricted VPN use and seven restricted the use of messaging and Voice Over IP applications.
Governments must commit to keeping the internet open and accessible, while telecom companies must uphold transparency and resist arbitrary shutdown orders. The African Union’s recent Resolution 580 by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) should specifically guide governments in keeping the internet on, even during electoral periods.

Curb Unmitigated Surveillance  

The privacy of individuals while using digital technologies is critical to protecting freedom of expression, the right to privacy, assembly, and association. Unregulated surveillance practices threaten privacy and freedom of expression across Africa, often targeting journalists, activists, and political opponents. Governments must adopt robust data protection laws, ensure judicial oversight over surveillance, and implement transparency mechanisms to prevent abuse.  In many countries,  laws governing state surveillance have gaps that allow state institutions to target government critics or political opposition members by conducting surveillance without sufficient judicial, parliamentary, or other independent, transparent and accountable oversight. 

Through research and training, CIPESA has highlighted the dangers of mass surveillance and supported the development of data protection frameworks. Our work with National Human Rights Institutions in countries like Ethiopia has strengthened their capacity to monitor and address surveillance abuses. 

Combat Disinformation  

The proliferation of disinformation is detrimental to citizens’ fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of assembly and association and participation, especially in electoral democracy. It also means that many citizens lack access to impartial and diverse information. Disinformation undermines trust, polarises societies, and disrupts democratic processes. Combating disinformation requires governments, civil society, and private sector collaboration on fact-checking, media literacy campaigns, and rights-respecting regulations.  

Our extensive research on countering disinformation in Africa provides actionable recommendations for addressing this challenge. By partnering with media organisations, platforms, and fact-checking initiatives, CIPESA has promoted factual reporting and fought misinformation, particularly during elections.

Fight Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)

Online harassment and abuse disproportionately target women and marginalised groups, limiting their ability to engage freely in digital spaces. Governments, intermediaries, and civil society must collaborate to ensure safer online environments and provide support systems for victims. Also, African countries need clear laws against TFGBV, with attendant capacity development for the judiciary and law enforcers to implement those laws.

CIPESA continues to conduct workshops on addressing gender-based violence in digital spaces and supporting organisations working on these issues, equipping key actors with tools to report and counter this vice. Our advocacy efforts have also emphasised platform accountability and comprehensive anti-TFGBV policies. 

De-weaponize the Law  

The digital civic space and the emerging issues such as disinformation, misinformation, false news and national security and public order have created opportunities for authoritarian governments to weaponise laws in the name of efforts to curb “abuse” by citizens. Unfortunately, the laws are employed as repressive tools targeted at curtailing freedom of expression, access to information, assembly and association online. Indeed they have been employed to gag the spaces within which freedoms were enjoyed, and to silence critics and dissenters. Governments should embark on a clear reform agenda to repeal all draconian legislation and enact laws which are progressive and align with the established regional and international human rights standards. 

As part of CIPESA’s efforts to expose civic space wrongs and manipulations through publishing of policy briefs and legal analyses, we enjoin partners, collaborators and other tech sector players in amplifying voices that call for actions to expose the misuse of laws on information disorder, anti-cybercrime laws and other repressive legislation through evidence based advocacy that could fundamentally  influence successful challenge of unjust laws in courts, regional forums and  human rights enforcement mechanisms for galvanisation of success across the continent.  

Arrest the Digital Divide  

The digital divide remains a significant barrier to the enjoyment of rights and to inclusive citizen participation, with rural, underserved communities, and marginalised groups disproportionately affected. This divide excludes millions from accessing opportunities in education, healthcare, and economic participation. Common contributing factors include high internet usage costs, expensive digital devices, inadequate digital infrastructure and low digital literacy. Addressing this gap requires affordable internet, investment in rural connectivity, and digital literacy programmes.

CIPESA’s research sheds light on the main barriers to connectivity and affordability, including the effective use of Universal Service Funds. Promoting inclusive digital access, particularly for marginalised communities, requires collective action from governments and other tech sector players, calculated towards enabling equitable access to, and utilisation of digital tools.

Promote Multistakeholder Engagements  

The complexity of digital rights challenges necessitates continuous collaboration and building of partnerships amongst governments, civil society, and private sector actors. CIPESA has facilitated multistakeholder dialogues that bring together diverse actors to address digital rights concerns, including national dialogues and the annual Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica). These engagements have led to actionable commitments form governments, civil society and other tech sector players and strengthened partnerships for progressive reforms. 


Last Word

CIPESA reaffirms its commitment to advancing digital rights for all across Africa. However, the challenges to meaningful enjoyment of digital rights and the advancement of digital democracy are myriad. The solutions lie in concerted efforts by various actors, including governments, the private sector, and civil society, all of whom must act now to protect digital rights for a better human rights future . 

Uganda Data Strategy
22Nov

Uganda Set to Harness Data as A Critical Resource for Socio-Economic Development

Author CIPESA Posted on

By Edrine Wanyama |

On November 19, 2024, Uganda’s Ministry of Information, Communication Technology, and National Guidance (MoICT&NG) validated a draft data strategy, marking a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation journey. This process follows a 2022 review that identified critical weaknesses in Uganda’s data-sharing ecosystem, including limited data sharing, fragmentation, silos, lack of common standards, and low trust in the system.

The strategy is a cornerstone of the Uganda Digital Transformation Road Map, which drives the Digital Uganda Vision and the country’s broader Digital Revolution agenda. Its goal is to foster a data-driven environment that stimulates innovation, economic growth, and social development. The strategy focuses on three main pillars: data governance, data infrastructure, and strategic data utilisation for efficient and effective use of data.

A robust institutional framework is central to the strategy, comprising a National Data Steering Committee, a National Data Office, and links to data personnel within various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Additionally, the strategy emphasises the importance of a comprehensive legal and policy framework aligned with national, regional, and international standards.

Uganda’s data protection framework is still in its early stages, with enabling legislation passed in 2019 and implementing regulations adopted in 2021. However, the framework has faced criticism for lacking clear oversight mechanisms and prioritising government access to individuals’ data—justified under national security and lawful purposes—over the protection of data and privacy rights.

The adoption of this data strategy has the potential to introduce stronger oversight and policy guidance, effective stakeholder engagement, and improved monitoring and evaluation in data management processes. This would pave the way for a robust, data-driven economy in Uganda.

Dr. Wairagala Wakabi, Executive Director of CIPESA stated, “Uganda’s Data Protection Strategy coincides with the recent African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Resolution on Promoting and Harnessing Data Access as a Tool for Advancing Human Rights and Sustainable Development in the Digital Age (ACHPR/Res.620 (LXXXI) 2024). If rightly applied and implemented within the existing data governance frameworks at the African Union level, its aims, goals, and objectives cannot be defeated.”

As Africa slowly moves towards a harmonised data regime, Uganda’s strategy represents a key step toward achieving the African Union’s goals. It has the potential to enhance governance, public service delivery, and economic growth while contributing to the continent’s broader socio-economic transformation within the digital economy.

08Mar

Inspiring Inclusion on Women’s Day 2024

Author Brian Posted on

By Juliet Nanfuka |

Today, the world celebrates International Women’s Day 2024 under the theme of #InspireInclusion, which encourages the realisation of a gender-equal world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. However, amidst the global celebration, it is crucial to spotlight the persistent challenges faced by African female journalists, both online and offline.

A 2020 global survey conducted by UNESCO confirmed a disturbing trend: online attacks targeting women journalists are on the rise at an alarming rate. These attacks are part of a deliberate strategy to intimidate, degrade, and silence women in the media industry. Such violence aims to instill fear, undermine professionalism, discredit journalistic integrity, erode trust in factual reporting, and ultimately stifle women’s active participation in public discourse especially as these attacks don’t just affect the targeted journalists – they also impact their sources and audiences, encourage self-censorship leading to a chilling effect on freedom of expression and access to information.

Research shows that the tactics used to attack women journalists is dominated by online trolling which often takes the form of gendered and sexualised attacks and, often involves body shaming. Trolling which has evolved into the practice of coordinated cyber armies that run campaigns – sometimes sponsored by some government officials and other powerful political actors.

It should be noted that online violence also shifts into offline spaces – with potentially deadly consequences. However, despite this, there remains a disturbing trend, particularly for African women journalists who experience online abuse – they often hesitate to seek justice and, when they do, encounter challenges in having their complaints taken seriously and thoroughly investigated.

Notably, the low levels of digital security skills and the inadequacy of existing laws in tackling trolling and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), only exacerbate the challenges African women journalists face in the profession.

African female journalists are instrumental in conveying key narratives, shedding light on issues of importance, and amplifying marginalised voices and concerns. However, the increased affronts to their profession and presence in online discourse encourage self-censorship and unmeasurable impact on access to information and freedom of expression of this key segment of society.

In the first Africa Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety Report released in 2022, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reiterated the growing presence of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) as a deterrent to press freedom, especially for women.

It is against this backdrop that CIPESA has consistently pursued various interventions aimed at enhancing the safety and inclusion of women in online spaces. Some of the initiatives have been specific to addressing the needs of African women journalists, such as a Media Masterclass and Reporting Grant, research into online safe spaces for women, both of which were conducted under the WomenAtWeb project of Deutsche Welle (DW). Further, CIPESA gave grants aimed at enhancing gendered digital inclusion and women journalists’ safety under the Africa Digital Rights Fund to beneficiaries in Somalia, Malawi and Tanzania, as well as in Ghana and Nigeria. 

This year, in partnership with the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) of UNESCO, CIPESA is supporting media development efforts to promote a safe, independent, and pluralistic press, including through addressing the gender dynamics of media freedom and journalists’ safety in Africa.

In recognition of Women’s Month, a series of workshops will be hosted alongside Digital Security Cafes for women journalists, media practitioners, and content producers in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The workshops will include discussions based on the findings of Africa Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety Report with a focus on elevating awareness of what can be done to pursue more inclusive measures for women journalists.

Further women’s month efforts will be a webinar on African women in politics with the aim of highlighting the importance of increased political inclusion of women in politics.  The role of active online engagement will be highlighted as a key driver enabling the needs of women in politics in various African countries and as a tool to participate in the information society meaningfully.  More importantly, the webinar will cast a spotlight on how women in active politics in various African countries are pushing back against the negative narratives online and the role that actors such as policy makers  and platforms have to play in addressing TFGBV associated with political spaces and discourse.

Register to participate in the webinar here. 

22Mar

African Countries Engage in Regional Dialogue Over Internet Universality Indicators Study

Author CIPESA Posted on

By UNESCO |

On 16 March 2022, UNESCO, jointly with the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) convened a regional dialogue on implementing Internet Universality ROAM-X Indicators (IUI) in Africa.

The event, supported by the  International Program for Development of Communication (IPDC) of UNESCO,  gathered a number of leading  national actors and experts who shared best practice and lessons learned from implementing national assessments of ROAM-X indicators in Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Niger and Senegal.

Juliet Nanfuka representing CIPESA opened the session by recalling that the event builds on CIPESA’s joint efforts and long-term partnership  with UNESCO to raise awareness on the intersection of access to information and application of the ROAM-X indicators  initiated at World Press Freedom Day celebrations in 2018 and the same year’s Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa as part of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).

Xianhong Hu, UNESCO’s focal point of the ROAM-X project, presented the global progress of assessing ROAM-X indicators in 45 countries and highlighted Africa as the leading continent with 17 countries having undertaken the assessment. Ms Hu stressed the urgent need to scale up the ROAM-X indicators’ assessments in more African countries to promote meaningful connectivity and humanistic digital transformation for advancing human rights and sustainable development.

“Africa needs to adjust its digital policy to be more inclusive and the ROAM-X indicators assessment would make a huge difference to support African countries’ inclusive digital transformation and build evidence-based policies.” Dorothy GordonChair of UNESCO’s Information For All Programme (IFAP)

Giving perspectives from West Africa, Professor Alain Kiyindou, Lead researcher of the assessment in Benin and Niger, pointed out the gender inequalities in access to Internet and in the workplace and called for more inclusion of African actors and vulnerable groups in the digital space as well as in the composition of national Multi-stakeholder Advisory Boards and research teams.

Also giving a West African perspective, Dr. Gideon Anapey, researcher for the assessment in Ghana, stressed that, “For African Member States to engage with UNESCO and initiate the ROAM-X project in the region, there is a strong need for capacity building that consists in deepening awareness on ROAM-X, fostering various stakeholders’ engagement, covering ICT integration and inclusion”.

Aderaw Tassew, Mr Asrat Mulatu (Ph.D), both representing Ethiopia and Ms Grace Githaiga from the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) presented on how they approached the assessment in their respective countries alongside highlighting the potential opportunities held by the indicators. Despite vast dissimilarities between the two countries in Internet access, they noted shared challenges unveiled by the assessment including on data collection, funding, political instability, weak legal frameworks and political will, digital literacy gaps, and various levels of the abuse of digital rights.

UNESCO and CIPESA jointly call for more African countries to take up the national assessment of ROAM-X indicators to promote Internet reforms for advancing media freedom and digital rights in Africa.  Following the webinar, in-country training sessions on the indicators will be conducted by CIPESA in Cameroon, Malawi, Namibia, Somalia and Uganda. Member States that are interested in  getting involved are invited to reach out to CIPESA: [email protected].

In 2015, the 38th General Conference of UNESCO endorsed a new definition on the Universality of the Internet based upon four principles – Rights, Openness, Accessibility to all and Multi-stakeholder participation- the ROAM principles. The four pillars outline a comprehensive framework for the assessment of national digital landscapes towards focusing on multiple dimensions of human rights, open Internet, quality of access and inclusive multi-stakeholder governance, promoting the growth and evolution of the Internet, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

This article was first published by UNESCO on March 22, 2022

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