By Staff Reporter | 5484 MEDIA | NAIROBI, KENYA
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- AfDB says online abuse is undermining women’s participation in Africa’s digital economy.
- Over a quarter of women in sub-Saharan Africa have experienced digital gender-based violence.
- Governments and tech platforms are urged to prioritise digital safety, data, and accountability.
As Africa accelerates investment in digital infrastructure, skills, and innovation, the African Development Bank (AfDB) is warning that the continent’s digital transformation will fall short unless women and girls are guaranteed safety online.
Writing during the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, AfDB officials have called for urgent and coordinated action to address the growing threat of digital gender-based violence, which they say is excluding women from meaningful participation in the digital economy.
Rising Online Abuse Across the Continent
Jemimah Njuki, Director for Women, Gender and Civil Society at the African Development Bank, alongside senior programme manager Ndey Oley Cole, highlighted alarming data showing the scale of the challenge. More than 25 per cent of women in sub-Saharan Africa have experienced online violence, while 34 per cent of young people aged 18 to 24 report being subjected to online bullying.
The authors noted that harassment, threats, and abuse in digital spaces discourage women from using online platforms for work, entrepreneurship, education, and civic engagement, reinforcing existing gender inequalities.
A Barrier to Inclusive Digital Growth
According to the AfDB, digital gender-based violence is not only a social and human rights issue, but also a direct barrier to inclusive economic growth. As African governments roll out ambitious digital economy strategies, the bank warned that ignoring online safety risks undermining these investments.
They argued that safety, dignity, and inclusion must be treated as core pillars of digital transformation, rather than being addressed after harm has already occurred.
Five Priority Actions for Safer Digital Spaces
To tackle the challenge, the AfDB officials outlined five priority actions. These include enacting and enforcing gender-responsive cyber laws that clearly criminalise online abuse, embedding digital safety into national development and ICT strategies, and holding technology companies accountable for content moderation and user protection.
The authors also stressed the importance of supporting survivor-led innovation, noting that African women are already developing digital tools and community-based solutions to promote online safety when given adequate resources and institutional backing.
The Data Gap Holding Back Policy
The article further highlighted a major gap in reliable data on digital gender-based violence across Africa. The lack of standardised, gender-disaggregated data makes it difficult for governments to design evidence-based policies and measure progress.
Expanding gender-disaggregated data systems and strengthening national statistical capacity were identified as critical steps toward understanding the true scale of the problem and crafting effective responses.
A Collective Call to Action
The AfDB officials concluded by urging governments, technology companies, development partners, and citizens to work together to create safer and more inclusive digital environments. Ending digital gender-based violence, they argued, is both a moral obligation and an economic necessity.
Without safe digital spaces, Africa risks leaving millions of women and girls behind at a time when the digital economy is expected to be a major driver of jobs, innovation, and sustainable development across the continent.
