The rise in internet penetration across West Africa has expanded the digital public sphere and created new opportunities for women’s participation and leadership in the pursuit of social justice. Yet this growing online presence has also been accompanied by an increase in coordinated attacks targeting women.
Many are subjected to forms of online gender-based violence, including cyberbullying, doxxing, gendered disinformation, hate speech, trolling, and the manipulation of images and videos through deepfakes. These abuses seek to silence, intimidate, and marginalise women, undermining their ability to participate and lead freely in public discourse both online and offline.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s research on online gender-based violence in West Africa shows a troubling pattern of how women in media and politics are constantly subjected to coordinated harassment. The study further shows that some women are unwilling to stay online for fear of Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) while those online often limit their activities or self-censor to avoid OGBV. This inhibits public participation, innovation, creativity and actualisation of goals and ambitions.
On this year’s occasion of International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8 under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action: For ALL Women and Girls,” the MFWA urges governments, tech companies and media organisations to adopt and enforce safeguarding policies that protect women against online gender-based violence. The MFWA recognises that rights are meaningless unless they are defended and enforced.
Over the years, the MFWA has demonstrated commitment to women empowerment through projects that have helped women to know their rights online, to be able to take up leadership positions and engage in public discourse both online and offline. The organisation has been documenting and raising alarm about online gender-based violence; from abusive attacks on female politicians and journalists to attempts at silencing women during election periods, and called for intensified stakeholder engagement and reforms to bridge the gender gap.
MFWA’s digital literacy and safety trainings in Liberia, Ghana, and Sierra Leone have equipped 430 women with the skills to protect themselves online, speak out, and report human rights violations safely. In addition, under its Equal Voices project, the organisation has trained female journalists in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire on gender-sensitive reporting. The training helped journalists recognise bias against women, use inclusive language, and ensure fair and balanced representation of women in the media, while also encouraging greater female leadership within newsrooms.
As part of these efforts, MFWA also developed a strategy document titled Promoting Gender Equality in the Ghanaian Media. The document outlines actionable recommendations to increase the number of women in leadership positions in the media, achieve greater gender parity in media content, promote gender-sensitive workplaces and policies, strengthen capacity for gender advocacy, and foster multi-stakeholder collaboration.
While these initiatives represent important progress towards creating an environment in which women and girls can participate safely both online and offline, closing gender equality gaps in West Africa cannot rely on public education, advocacy, and training alone. Lasting change requires structural reforms in laws and policies, stronger institutional safeguards, and the consistent enforcement of existing protections and sanctions.
The MFWA therefore calls for swift, transparent, and accountable response mechanisms for women who report online abuse, harassment, and coordinated attacks. Governments, technology companies, and media institutions must work together to ensure that digital spaces remain open, safe, and inclusive for women’s participation in public life.
