Findings from the monitoring of online gender-based violence on selected online platforms by the Media Foundation for West Africa show pervasiveness of the phenomenon in Ghana, particularly against female politicians.
The findings, which cover monitoring in the month of August 2024, show that the Vice-Presidential Candidate of the major opposition party in Ghana, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, and the wife of the Presidential Candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hajia Samira Bawumia, were the most abused female politicians within the one-month period.
Other female politicians the findings cite as having been abused are Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Esq., aid to the NDC Presidential Candidate, Akosua Manu, NPP parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constitutency, and Shamima Muslim of the NDC.
A total of 103 incidents of OGBV were recorded out of 336 reports. That is, out of every three reports, at least, one contained an OGBV. Of the five online platforms (Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and Ghanaweb) monitored, Facebook, X and Ghanaweb recorded the 103 incidents of OGBV.
Worryingly, insulting and offensive comments constituted 68 percent (70) of the 103 OGBV cited. Also, 17 incidents of hate speech and three explicit physical threats were recorded.
Additional details of the findings of the OGBV report for the month of August 2024 can be found in this full report.
The monitoring of online gender-based violence (OGBV) forms part of activities of the MFWA’s project on Improving the safety and use of social media for female politicians in Ghana, which is being implemented with funding support from the Dutch Foreign Ministry through the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana. The project is aimed at addressing women’s safety issues on social media, and building the capacity of female politicians to better use the internet in advancing their political ambitions, especially towards Ghana’s 2024 general elections, and beyond.
In addition to the monitoring and reporting of OGBV, a mapping report on OGBV against female politicians in Ghana has been produced to highlight the nature, prevalence and experiences of female politicians. The project is also supporting partner media organisations to discuss OGBV issues, including the OGBV monitoring reports, as a complementary effort in creating awareness, advocating against the practice and facilitating policy debates with evidence to inform policy and advocacy interventions.
