Joel Ajayi
FAME Foundation, a leading non-profit organisation championing the rights of women and girls, on Tuesday launched a nationwide campaign aimed at ending digital violence against women and girls as part of the globally recognised 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
With the theme “Unite to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” the Executive Director of FAME Foundation, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, announced the start of the campaign during a press conference in Abuja.
She noted that the initiative kicked off on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and will run until December 10, 2025, the Human Rights Day.
Atoyebi emphasised that the dates are significant, symbolising the link between the fight against violence targeting women and girls and the global push for human rights protection.
She raised concerns over the rising cases of digital abuse in Nigeria, noting that increasing numbers of women and girls face cyberstalking, online harassment, abusive messaging, impersonation, and non-consensual sharing of private images—incidents that frequently go unreported.
Citing findings from Gatefield’s State of Online Harms 2025 report, Atoyebi disclosed that 68.9 million Nigerians have been exposed to various forms of online abuse, including scams, cyberbullying, child sexual exploitation, and identity theft. Women account for more than half of these cases, highlighting the gendered nature of digital violence.
The report also shows alarming statistics on children’s exposure to online risks, revealing that 97% have encountered some form of sexual exploitation online, while 89% have received unsolicited sexual content.
Atoyebi warned that the growing trend of sharing private images without consent has had devastating consequences for many victims, often resulting in harassment, public shaming, loss of opportunities, and long-term emotional trauma.
“Digital violence is not just online,” she said. “It affects mental health, personal safety, and socio-economic opportunities. Survivors frequently suffer reputational damage, emotional distress, and are often forced to withdraw from digital spaces. Although Nigeria has laws such as the Cybercrimes Act of 2015 and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, enforcement remains weak, and many victims are discouraged from reporting due to stigma and distrust.”
16 Days of Activities and Community Engagement
Outlining FAME Foundation’s activities for the 16-day campaign, Atoyebi said the organisation will host a series of targeted initiatives designed to educate, empower, and mobilise the public.
These include:
Webinars on digital safety innovations
Panel discussions featuring men as allies in combating digital abuse
Playlets, podcasts, and video campaigns encouraging girls to speak out
Youth and sports community engagement, including surveys, live sessions with coaches on safe sport practices, field interviews, and social media quizzes
Video pledges and community outreach programmes in partnership with local sports clubs
According to Atoyebi, each activity is crafted to strengthen prevention efforts, encourage reporting, and support survivors.
She called on all stakeholders—government agencies, civil society groups, tech companies, media organisations, communities, and especially men and boys—to take concrete actions toward creating safer digital spaces.
“To every woman and girl experiencing or witnessing digital abuse, we say: You are seen, you are heard, and you are not alone,” she assured. “Digital platforms should empower, not endanger. Together, we can unite to end digital violence against all women and girls.”
