Lagos: In today’s fast-moving digital world, social media can feel like both a megaphone and a battlefield. TikTok skits, Instagram reels, and anonymous comment threads have become places where people living with disabilities are mocked, impersonated, or openly harassed. For many Nigerian women with disabilities, these platforms that promise connection often deliver cruelty instead.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Susan Ihouma, a Person With Disability (PWD), experienced online abuse when a man who had expressed interest in her lashed out after she declined him. He posted her photo online and called her ‘crippled.’ Instead of retreating, Ihouma took a screenshot and shared it publicly. This action encouraged at least ten other women with disabilities to speak out about the same man’s behavior, revealing a disturbing trend of online harassment targeting them.
Ihouma, a member of the Network of Women with Disabilities and founder of Susan’s Unique Oasis Foundation, argues that online abuse against women with disabilities is not an isolated experience. She points out how people mimic disabilities like cerebral palsy and autism for entertainment on online platforms and how women with disabilities face derogatory comments when they get married or become pregnant.
For millions of women with disabilities, technology has become a vital tool, offering educational, social, and economic opportunities that physical spaces often do not provide. However, these digital platforms also expose them to cyberbullying, sexual harassment, and other digital threats. Cynthia Ukachi, a disability and inclusion advocate, highlights that women with disabilities face multiple layers of discrimination online, and technology that should assist them is often weaponized against them.
A national policy dialogue held by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, the Network of Women with Disabilities, and partners under the UK-funded SPRiNG programme addressed these challenges. The dialogue aimed to confront the rise of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) against women and girls with disabilities. Lois Auta, President of the Network of Women with Disabilities, shared that nearly 69 percent of women with disabilities in Nigeria experience online gender-based violence daily.
Nigeria’s legal frameworks, such as the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act, are in place, but digital safety policies lack specific provisions for women with disabilities. The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suliaman-Ibrahim, emphasized the urgency of creating safe digital spaces for these women and announced the upcoming rollout of the Third National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security (NAP III) with embedded disability inclusion.
Globally, one in six people lives with a disability, and in Nigeria, over 35 million people fit this demographic. Studies show that women are significantly more likely to experience gender-based violence and systemic exclusion. Kafilat Ogbara, Chair of the House Committee on Women’s Affairs, called for stronger laws and safer infrastructure, stressing the need for inclusive solutions.
Partners from the UK-funded SPRiNG Programme reiterated the importance of addressing rising digital threats and promoting peace, stability, and climate change adaptation. Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo of Tetra Tech SPRiNG Programme underscored the need for awareness, prevention, and support for survivors of gender-based violence.
Despite these challenges, women with disabilities continue to shape online spaces, acting as entrepreneurs, peace builders, and leaders. Experts assert that Nigeria’s digital future must be safe, accessible, and inclusive.