Abuja: ActionAid has called on governments, civil society, the private sector, media, development partners, and community leaders to intensify efforts to prevent and respond to all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) Country Director, Mr. Andrew Mamedu, made the call at the Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the dialogue was convened by the Development Partners Group on Gender (DPGG), in collaboration with other stakeholders, to commemorate the 2025 16 Days of Activism. Mamedu emphasized the need to resource and advance the aspirations of the DPGG Gender Strategy and work collectively to establish digital-safe spaces where women and girls can thrive without fear. He expressed hope for 2025 to be a pivotal year of collaboration and decisive action to end GBV in Nigeria.
Mamedu reassured that ActionAid’s commitment to ending all forms of GBV, including TF-GBV, remains steadfast. The organization actively works in communities to challenge harmful norms, support survivors, strengthen access to justice, engage men and boys, and build the capacity of women-led organizations. He acknowledged both the opportunities and risks presented by digital platforms and stressed the importance of ensuring technology empowers rather than harms women and girls.
The country director highlighted the significance of the DPGG in promoting gender equality in Nigeria, noting its mission and efforts in guiding coordination, policy influence, institutional strengthening, and accountability across the country. He emphasized the importance of the strategic roadmap in aligning partners, government, and civil society toward eliminating GBV and advancing gender equality.
Niri Goyit, Women’s Rights Programme Specialist at AAN, provided a definition of TF-GBV, describing it as an act of GBV that is committed, assisted, amplified, or aggravated through digital technologies and communication. In a technical presentation, Goyit identified various forms of TF-GBV, including impersonation, image-based abuse, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, doxxing, sextortion, deep fakes, and cyber flashing.
Goyit shared statistics indicating that between 16 and 58 percent of women globally have faced some form of TF-GBV, with 45 percent having experienced cyberstalking, particularly women in public roles. She noted the rapid growth of internet adoption in Nigeria, which has outpaced the development of safeguards needed to protect users, leading to young survivors, as young as 14, seeking help.