Abuja: The National Women Leaders Forum of Political Parties in Nigeria (NWLFPPN) has made a fervent appeal for the establishment of advanced digital protection systems to combat Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV) targeting women in politics. This call to action was made during a high-level dialogue organized under the theme ‘Advancing Feminist Leadership to End Digital Violence Against Women in Politics’ held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event, supported by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), was part of the activities marking the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and the 2025 International Human Rights Day. GBV, which includes acts of violence based on gender, remains a widespread issue affecting individuals across different demographics and manifests in various forms, posing a serious violation of human rights. The 16 Days of Activism Against GBV is a global United Nations campaign running from November 25 to December 10, aimed at highlighting and eliminating violence against women.
The President of NWLFPPN, Mrs Amina Darasimi-Bryhm, emphasized the need for robust digital safety measures to ensure women’s participation in political leadership roles remains secure and effective. She pointed out the increasing incidence of TF-GBV and called for stronger policies and awareness to protect women in politics and aspiring female leaders. Darasimi-Bryhm highlighted that digital platforms are being used to silence and exclude women through various forms of online abuse, which discourages their political involvement.
Mr Adebowale Olorunmola, Country Director of WFD, reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to enhancing political parties and promoting women’s leadership and inclusive political participation. Represented by WFD Programmes Manager Ms Sola Folayan, Olorunmola stressed the need for better gender representation in Nigeria’s politics and continued support for women in leadership roles.
Dr Daniel Ukpai, Director of Programmes at the Development Research and Projects Centre (DRPC), described TF-GBV as a rapidly escalating threat that has grown with Nigeria’s digital expansion. He noted that visible women in politics face increasing online attacks due to insufficient protective measures in party codes and laws. Ukpai called for policy updates, improved platform moderation, and stronger regulations against anonymous digital attacks.
Mrs Sa’adatu Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the group, urged for national laws to tackle digital violence against women in politics and stricter accountability from social media platforms. She advocated for feminist, gender-sensitive party policies, confidential reporting systems, and mandatory training on feminist leadership and digital safety.
The group underscored that ending digital violence against women in politics is crucial for Nigeria’s democratic future and is not solely a women’s issue.