Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) encompasses various forms of online harassment and exploitation, such as stalking, cyberbullying, non-consensual pornography sharing, the dissemination of intimate images and videos without consent, doxing, trolling, threat, discrimination and hate speech.
Salma Mgoso, who is a fashion enthusiast and a student at the University of Dar es Salaam explains how she faces a lot of harassment on social media whenever she posts her pictures. She is the model and social media is the only way to showcase her work for people to see what she has. However, she often receives offensive messages from people who accuse her of selling her body, especially men. This situation restricts her freedom to use social media.
Back in 2016, when I was just fifteen I started modeling various Bantu-inspired clothing. I use my social media pages to promote my creativity. The sad part is that this kind of harassment is widespread in our society. I also can not express my opinions or contribute to any discussions, as I fear being criticized using foul language and mockery, Salma said.
Cleopatra Ngesi, a 23-year-old from Dar es Salaam, began reducing her use of social media, especially Facebook, starting two years ago. This decision was due to people she doesn’t know calling her and sending explicit pictures, constantly demanding her attention.
“I feel unsafe when using social media. I feel like my account has been hacked and my information has been taken” she explained.
Among 10 girls, 8 had experienced bullying, while others had been insulted. Some of them mentioned that they considered stopping or quitting social media.Regrettably, all of these girls seem to perceive this as a normal issue, with no clear avenue for reporting, and some are unaware of how to protect themselves from Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV).
In the digital landscape of Tanzania, there are currently 64 million mobile phone users and 34 million users of social media. It is estimated that by the year 2025, social media users will reach 50 million. This surge in social media users is paralleled by an increase in online gender-based violence incidents.
Feminists, unmarried women, and any woman attempting to assert her independence in Tanzania’s cyberspace, especially on platforms like Twitter, often face significant attacks from men, derogatorily referred to as “wasimbe/msimbe” this term used to mock or insult a woman who has unmarried, divorced and is over 30 years old. It’s considered offensive and disrespectful. This hostile environment discourages women from freely participating in discussions and debates on social media due to fear of receiving offensive and abusive comments.
According to the Mobile Gender Gap Report of 2019 shows 77% of women in Tanzania own mobile phones while 17% percent of them got internet access, 86% are men mobile users and those who access internet are 35%. Plan international report of 2020 concern online freedom shows that online gender based violence accounts 4 more than 19 percent of women want to reduce and stop use social networks and 12 % change how to present their opinion and ideas online.
The masculine energy of women is consistently undermined, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Even I find it challenging to address women’s and girls’ rights on social media platforms due to the potential for such attacks. The only safe avenue for sharing opinions on gender-related topics is through writing, training sessions, and panel discussions about women’s issues. The misunderstanding and confusion surrounding women’s rights as human rights stem from our inherent biological differences and how we perceive gender roles.
Nedal Al Salman president of Bahrain center for Human Rights and vice president of international federation for Human Rights quoted
” You cannot divide human rights from women’s rights, a country that respects human rights will respect women rights they are all linked together”
According to a 2016 United Nations Report on how OGBV affects human rights shows, seven out of ten young people worldwide have experienced violence while using the internet. A 2020 survey by Plan International, which included 14,000 girls from various countries, found that 58% of them had experienced online harassment.
Despite the existence of rules and principles meant to uphold freedom of speech and opinion sharing without interference, Tanzania has the Cybercrime Act of 2015, the Constitution, and the Personal Data Protection Act of 2022, all designed to regulate and ensure the freedom and safety of its citizens. Nevertheless, many people continue to suffer from online violence, harassment, and exploitation, But it help women right seakers to be aware and defend themselves
Article 18 of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania provides the right to freedom of thought, expression, and the right to seek, receive, and disseminate information.
18. Every person (a) has a freedom of opinion and expression of his ideas; (b) has out right to seek, receive and, or disseminate information regardless of national boundaries; (c) has the freedom to communicate and a freedom with protection from interference from his communication and (d) has a right to be informed at all times of various important events of life and activities of the people and also of issues of importance to the society.
Cybercrime act of 2015 in Tanzania was established to control online communication and combat online crimes, article 16 state that
“Any person who publishes information or sat is false, deceptive, misleading or inaccurate and with intent to defame threaten, abuse, insult or counselling commission of an offence commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine of not less than five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years or to both”
Article 23 state of the above also states
” A person who contravenes subsection cis commits on offense and is liable on conviction to a fine imprisonment for a term of not less than three years or to both” Personal data protectionAaaa act of 2022 also advocate the respect of people privacies and make sure everyone’s data is safe No.11 was passed on 1 November 2022 as a recognition to the right to privacy and personal security enshrined under Article 16 of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, 1977.
What does the future hold?
The attacks and abuse against women will not end unless society is willing to bring education to the forefront. There is a great need to educate men or boys about why they have girls and women rights and why gender equality is advocated every day.
The world focused on raising, educating and enabling females and women to understand themselves and know their rights through the various policies, institutions and training offered around the world and forgetting a boys who will come to live and interact with this female child who is already educated, which leads to a sharp increase in sexual violence were a man tend to uses his masculinity to defend himself.
It’s true that perspectives on gender have been evolving, and the empowerment of women in all aspects of life is a crucial step. However, these changes can encounter resistance from those who hold onto traditional views.
It’s important to promote education and awareness about gender equality and to respect the opinions and thoughts of everyone in society to facilitate the necessary changes. Together, we can help build a society that accepts and respects gender differences and empowers women to contribute fully to social and economic development.
*Esuvath Daniel, a freelance Journalist from Tanzania, sent this in as part of requirement for being Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals ‘Women in Journalism Fellowship 2023
