As the world commemorates the 2025 “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” under the theme “Unite to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls,” Journalists for Christ International Outreach (JFC) has called for coordinated action to combat the escalating wave of online misogyny and tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TF-GBV) in Nigeria.
Mrs Ugonma Cokey, Vice President of Journalists for Christ (JFC), made the call following alarming findings detailed in the organisation’s recent report, #EndMisogynyNG: Media Monitoring Report on Misogyny and Online Violence Against Women.
“Online safety is not optional; it is a fundamental right,” stated Mrs Cokey. “Digital violence is real violence, with psychological, economic, and sometimes physical consequences. Women and girls deserve to participate fully, safely, and confidently in digital spaces.”
The JFC report, produced with support from WACC Global and Brot für die Welt, casts a spotlight on the increasingly hostile digital environment for Nigerian women.
The monitoring revealed: Digital spaces are saturated with abusive, sexualized, and demeaning language targeted at women, reflecting entrenched patriarchal norms, Female journalists and media professionals face an escalating pattern of online attacks that question their professional competence, morality, and appearance simply for occupying public platforms and the report documents a disturbing surge in tech-facilitated abuses, including cyberstalking, doxxing, non-consensual image distribution, sexualized hate speech, and coordinated online harassment campaigns.
According to the JFC, weak enforcement of platform safety policies, lack of transparency from social media companies, and inadequate national legal frameworks allow these abuses to flourish with minimal consequences.
JFC noted a positive development coinciding with this year’s activism campaign: the Draft Policy on Technology-Facilitated Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Lagos State, which underwent stakeholder review ahead of its planned launch on December 10.
“This development aligns with one of the key recommendations from the #EndMisogynyNG report, which calls for stronger laws, enforcement mechanisms, and policy measures to address online GBV,” Mrs Cokey said. “We are proud to have contributed to this progress through research and advocacy.”
Journalists for Christ is urging all stakeholder groups to unite and ensure that online spaces do not become another site of harm.
| Stakeholder Group | Key Actions Demanded |
| Government Agencies | Strengthen legislation addressing online abuse in Nigeria; accelerate implementation of the TF-GBV policy in Lagos; invest in digital safety training, forensics, and survivor support. |
| Social Media Platforms | Enforce community standards consistently and transparently; improve reporting and takedown mechanisms; prioritise the safety of women, especially journalists and young women. |
| Civil Society & Faith-Based Orgs | Help raise awareness on digital safety; support survivors; challenge harmful gender norms that fuel online violence. |
| Journalists & Media Professionals | Amplify survivor voices; report responsibly on online GBV; push back against misogynistic narratives. |
The organisation concludes that the 16 Days of Activism is a critical reminder for all to commit to ending digital violence and upholding the fundamental right of women and girls to safety in the digital world.
