The UN Women has warned that online abuse targeting women and girls has reached alarming levels, describing it as a pandemic eating up our society.
The organisation urged Universities to strengthen reporting systems to ensure survivors can seek help confidentially and safely.
The UN Women Representative for Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, stated this during a University Discussion Forum on Ending Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls in Abuja, Nigeria, as part of activities marking the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Ms Eyong, represented by the UN Women Deputy Country Representative, Ms Patience Ekeoba, said that “every individual has a role to play in stopping digital violence,” stressing that the responsibility is shared across institutions, families, and young people.
She said; “Digital violence is not just a social problem but a criminal offence under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, the Cybercrime Act 2015, and the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023.”
According to her, this year’s commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism offers the world a renewed opportunity to confront the realities of violence, both online and offline. Noting that statistics show that “one in every three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence,”
Ms Eyong said that in online spaces, “85 per cent of women say they have witnessed digital violence, while 38 per cent have personally experienced technology-facilitated abuse. ……. “For the global community to have agreed to spend 16 days on this issue, you can imagine how serious it is.”
She reminded the students that digital abuse is not just harmful but criminal. “Some of the people who bully others online are not strangers; they are our friends, our classmates.
“This thing you consider as fun is not fun. It is an offence. Speak up when you see offline or online violence. Don’t say it is not my business. Support classmates going through silent digital trauma,” Ms Eyong said.
The UN Women Country Representative further reaffirmed UN Women’s commitment to ensuring that women and girls are safe both online and offline, calling for more partnerships with government agencies, civil society, universities, tech companies, and the private sector.
Speaking earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Nile University, Professor Dili Togo, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Central Administration, Professor Prema Kimakaran, emphasised that safe digital spaces are integral to building thriving communities and a stronger democracy.
He noted that the world must no longer ignore the escalating harm women and girls face online, saying many young people fail to recognise digital abuse, which harms mental health, careers, and safety, making global action and stronger protections essential.
On her part, the Registrar and Dean, Student Services of Nile University, Dr Fausat Aleghinloye, praised the partnership that made the event possible.
The event, with the theme: “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls,” was organised by UN Women in partnership with Nile University Nigeria to spotlight the growing challenge of online abuse, strengthen advocacy for safer digital spaces, and amplify actions needed to protect women and girls from all forms of digital violence.