Violence and abuse, especially as meted out against women in digital spaces, have been condemned, with calls for more action to address the rising menace.

This call was made by the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi, following a courtesy call made at her office by TechHerNG in Abuja.

TechHer, an organisation committed to leveraging technology for social impact, met with the head of the agency to explore potential avenues of collaboration in the fight against Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) and to introduce Kuram, an innovative response website designed to combat the growing threat to women’s safety in an increasingly digital world.

TechHer’s Head of Programmes, Peter Akinnusi, expressed deep concern regarding the alarming rise of OGBV and other predominant forms of offline harm against women and girls.

Speaking about the increase in digital abuse posing immense threats to the well-being and safety of individuals, particularly women and girls, he called attention to the urgent need to implement steps including increased awareness, policy changes and adequate punishments for perpetrators.

“The rise of online gender-based violence in the digital spaces has become increasingly concerning, as technology plays an important role in daily interactions.

The bulk of our work has focused on using research to design lasting solutions across various sectors of society. Over the next six to eight months, we will focus on engaging duty bearers, state actors like NAPTIP, and community leaders in an intensified effort to raise awareness regarding this critical issue,” he said.

The TechHer delegation commended NAPTIP for its exceptional efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking alongside its dedication to rescuing victims and bringing traffickers to justice.

Recognising technology’s critical role in addressing complex societal challenges, the team also shared insights on Kuram, detailing the response website’s features, including the ability of OGBV survivors to report incidents and gain access to resources on battling digital violence.

“Kuram, which means ‘Keep me Safe’ in Tiv, is an innovative platform designed to empower OGBV survivors, enabling them to report incidents, seek support, and access essential resources. The educational materials offered by Kuram further contribute to TechHer’s comprehensive approach in fostering awareness about OGBV and promoting responsible online behaviour among young individuals,” Akinnusi said.

Professor Waziri-Azi warmly welcomed TechHer, giving plaudits for its commitment to demystifying technology for women and girls. She emphasised the critical role of partnerships and collaborative efforts to tackle societal crime and ensure the safety of women and girls. She expressed appreciation for the existence of Kuram and similar initiatives implemented by the organisation as they mirrored the agency’s cybersecurity efforts.

Flagging sextortion as a rapidly growing threat, she highlighted NAPTIP’s endeavours through dedicated cybersecurity response teams to curb such tech-facilitated crimes. She revealed that in concert with platform owners like Meta, media consultants and other state actors, including the Federal Ministry of Education, NAPTIP had embarked on similar awareness projects.

“We joined forces with Meta to work on the Amber Alert programme dedicated to tracking and facilitating the recovery of missing children and women. Thus we were positioned as the second country in Africa and the 29th globally to establish such an impactful program leveraging technology to get the right information to the right audience at the right time,” Waziri-Azi stated.

Additionally, she commended TechHer for the School Tour programme and the design and dissemination of home-grown digital safety toolkits for students. Waziri-Azi also drew attention to a similar initiative the agency was overseeing in 84 of the 110 Federal Unity secondary schools and welcomed expertise with engaging students for future joint awareness campaigns.

“As part of our proactive approach to foster responsible internet usage, we have developed the ‘Trafficking in Persons’ Vanguard in secondary schools and a handful of tertiary institutions. We’ve also developed an internet safety pledge, equipping students with the knowledge and tools to navigate the online world safely and responsibly,” she said before adding, “We welcome TechHer expertise to advance this programme.”

Akinnusi expressed gratitude to Professor Waziri-Azi and emphasised TechHer’s aim of building formidable alliances for a safer society.

“My team and I are grateful for this collaboration, as it aligns perfectly with TechHer’s mission of leveraging convening power and forging partnerships to arrest the growth of online gender-based violence in any form,” he said.