Tamale: Miss Fatahia Musah, the Communication Lead for the Girls Advisory Council, has called for immediate legal and policy reforms to combat the increasing instances of technology-facilitated Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the nation. She emphasized this need during a one-day engagement workshop in Tamale, aimed at raising awareness and building capacity among young people, community leaders, and male allies to tackle online harassment, cyberbullying, and other digital abuses affecting women and girls.
According to Ghana News Agency, the workshop, organized by the Girls Advisory Council in collaboration with the Brain Builders Youth Initiative, Rising Child Foundation, and Disability Not a Barrier Initiative, aimed to enhance awareness of technology-facilitated GBV. It convened various youth groups, including persons with disabilities, community leaders, media practitioners, and other stakeholders in the youth development sector.
Participants analyzed a research report by Norsaac under its Power to Youth Programme, which delved into the prevalence, nature, and policy gaps concerning technology-facilitated GBV in Ghana. The report highlighted the misuse of the internet and digital technologies to harass, intimidate, and infringe upon the rights of women and girls.
Mr. Abdullah Habib Mohammed, a Youth and Gender Activist at Norsaac, presented the report, describing technology-facilitated GBV as a growing threat to women's digital safety and rights. The report identified common acts like online stalking, cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and non-consensual sharing of sexual images, which predominantly target young women and girls.
While Ghana's Domestic Violence Act and Cybersecurity Act offer some protection, the report pointed out their lack of explicit provisions against online GBV, leaving victims with insufficient legal recourse. It highlighted significant gaps in law enforcement's capacity to investigate and prosecute technology-facilitated abuse, citing a shortage of trained personnel and forensic expertise.
The study also found that digital intimate partner violence, especially among youth, often involved spyware, fake accounts, and persistent monitoring of social media and location data. Online sexual harassment, including unsolicited sexual messages and explicit imagery, was noted as particularly disturbing.
The report called for comprehensive legal reforms to recognize and criminalize technology-facilitated GBV and urged policymakers to incorporate digital safety and justice in relevant laws. It recommended capacity building for police, prosecutors, and judges, and the creation of cybercrime units focused on gender-related violence.
Public education and digital literacy programs, especially in schools, were emphasized as essential for empowering young people to protect themselves online. The report encouraged traditional and religious leaders to raise awareness and challenge social norms that normalize online harassment.
Mr. Murtala Issah, a journalist from the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, advised participants to be cautious with their digital activities, warning against sharing sensitive content online due to potential emotional security risks. Mr. Issahaku Abdul-Latif, the Northern Regional Coordinator of Activista Ghana, stressed the importance of positive masculinity and male support for women, urging against emotional blackmail.
Participants also called for collective efforts to combat technology-facilitated gender-based violence, encouraging young people to engage cautiously online.
