Addis Ababa, Ethiopia -The African Union Commission has brought together experts, practitioners and human rights defenders to strengthen Africa’s response to technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. Discussions focused on reviewing findings on digital violence across the continent and improving prevention, reporting and support for survivors.
The meeting marked the inaugural gathering of the African Community of Practice on Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls. The AU Innovation Lab, under the Commission’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, convened the event during the African Union Innovation Festival, InnoFest’26, at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Opening the meeting on 29 September, Prudence Ngwenya, Director of the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate of the African Union Commission, called for stronger support for victims and survivors. She also emphasised the need to equip communities and institutions to respond to digital violence.
Ngwenya described the Community of Practice as a platform for improving Africa’s response and helping human rights defenders address abuse in increasingly complex digital environments. Discussions also focused on connecting survivor support services and drawing on national experiences to guide continental and global responses.
As access to social media, generative artificial intelligence and other digital technologies expands across Africa, participants stressed that the safety, dignity and rights of women and girls must remain central to innovation.
Participants raised concerns about how people report online violence and whether automated systems respond effectively. They also highlighted gaps in human oversight and questions about consent, identity, data privacy and who has the authority to make decisions on digital platforms.
The limited ability of some law enforcement agencies to investigate digital violence was another concern. Participants called for closer cooperation among governments, technology companies, civil society, human rights defenders, cybersecurity experts and communities.
Technology companies deploying AI systems and digital platforms in Africa were urged to adopt clear standards that reflect local realities and hold them accountable for harm. Participants said safety should be built into technologies from the design stage.
Language and cultural context were central to the discussion. Raptie Ravi Kanthi, a participant from South Africa, cited photographs of Umhlanga, a cultural gathering in the Zulu kingdom. Kanthi said a platform such as X could classify these images as nudity without recognising their cultural significance.
Participants also questioned whether content moderation systems can reliably detect abuse expressed in African languages or through local cultural references. They called on technology companies to work with African researchers, language experts, practitioners and communities to improve the accuracy and fairness of these systems.
The discussion also examined how automated accounts and coordinated online activity can amplify harmful content, including abuse targeting women and girls.
For those experiencing harassment, impersonation, the sharing of intimate images without consent or abuse involving AI-generated content, knowing where to seek help is essential. Participants called for clearer reporting channels, accessible support services and stronger referral systems.
They also urged greater investment in police units that handle gender-based violence. These units need the skills and resources to recognise, document and investigate digital abuse.
The Community of Practice is expected to help experts and practitioners exchange experiences, share approaches and improve how they document and respond to online human rights violations.
Generative AI has added urgency to this work. Tools that produce manipulated images, videos and other synthetic content can enable abuse to spread quickly across social media. Participants stressed that responses to the misuse of these technologies must protect women and girls and uphold human rights.
They also highlighted the need for digital literacy. Communities need the skills to recognise manipulated content, understand their digital rights, report abuse and find support. Cybersecurity knowledge and human rights education should complement regulation and efforts to hold platforms accountable.
The discussion linked digital violence to wider concerns about trust and social cohesion. Disinformation and coordinated manipulation can make it harder for people to distinguish reliable information from deceptive content. Participants noted that weakened trust in information and institutions can leave communities more vulnerable to polarisation and conflict.
Addressing these risks requires action from governments, technology companies, civil society, educators and users. Alongside removing harmful content, participants called for education that helps people recognise manipulation and participate safely online.
Reviewing and validating findings on technology-facilitated violence was presented as a step towards a stronger evidence base for action. Data reflecting the experiences of African women and girls can help policymakers understand the scale of abuse, identify gaps in support and respond to emerging threats.
During group discussions, participants also called for countries to align policies at the regional level. They urged member states to develop national policies that put continental recommendations and regional mechanisms into practice.
The Community of Practice will provide a forum for continued cooperation among policymakers, technology companies, law enforcement agencies, researchers, cybersecurity experts, women’s rights organisations and communities.
As its work begins, participants called for clearer reporting channels, better support for survivors, stronger investigative capacity and technology that reflects African languages and cultural contexts. These measures aim to ensure that women and girls can participate safely in Africa’s digital transformation with their rights protected.
