Voices Unbroken: Ending Digital Violence Against Women and Girls

By Mohamed M. Fall,

United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria
Women face walls every day. Walls built by history, culture, and fear. They face them in schools, offices, homes, streets, and now, in the digital world. Globally, women are still denied full access to power, education, and safety. They are underrepresented in political spaces, earn less, speak less, and lead less.
Nigeria has made strides. More women are entering politics, business, and leadership.

Opportunities are growing. Yet barriers remain. Only a small fraction of elected positions are held by women. There is work to do. The path to equality is not yet complete.
Violence is still part of many women’s lives. In Nigeria, the 2024 Demographic and Health Survey shows that 21 percent of women aged 15–49 have experienced physical or sexual violence. That is one in five women. But there is progress. Physical violence has dropped from 31 to 19 percent, sexual violence from 9 to 5 percent. Numbers alone cannot measure the pain or fear. But they do show that change is possible.

While physical violence may be slowly declining, a new threat rises. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence hides behind screens, strikes in private messages, spreads on social media, and silences women online. It blocks voices in politics. It interrupts education. It threatens livelihoods. It can even trigger harm offline.

Across Nigeria, women journalists are attacked online for asking questions. Politicians face threats for standing up. Students are shamed and humiliated. Activists are trolled and impersonated. Women at home are stalked and coerced. Cyberstalking, image-based sexual abuse, sextortion, impersonation, hate speech—all have become weapons. These are not just stories in the news. They are daily realities. Behind every number is a woman whose rights are being challenged.

Globally, 16 to 58 percent of women report experiencing digital abuse. Emerging technologies make it worse. Artificial intelligence can create deepfake pornography, identity theft, and coordinated harassment. Studies show that 90 to 95 percent of deepfake content targets women. Technology should connect us, empower us, and innovate. Instead, it is sometimes misused to deepen inequality and fear.

Even as Nigeria embraces technology, gaps remain. Cyberlaws need stronger enforcement. Digital literacy can improve. Gender biases persist. Survivors often find little recourse. Stigma, impunity, and limited justice remain challenges. Yet, positive steps exist. The Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015 is a foundation. Advocacy flourishes. Nigeria is building systems that protect women.

We cannot wait. Ending digital violence requires every hand, every voice, every mind.
The government must continue its leadership. Strengthen the Cybercrimes Act. Address the borderless reach of online gender-based violence. Train law enforcement to respond to digital harm. Adopt a national framework on online safety. Invest in prevention. Teach digital literacy. Include healthy online behavior in life skills education. Support community action. These measures can protect and empower women and girls.

Technology companies must also act. Make online spaces safer. Improve moderation. Be transparent. Support local languages. Adopt Safety-by-Design. Collaborate with governments and civil society. Online platforms must empower, not oppress.
Civil society, media, traditional and religious leaders, parents, and teachers all have roles.

Advocate. Raise awareness. Support survivors. Challenge harmful norms. Promote respect, consent, and digital responsibility. Young people can lead by example, modeling safe and respectful online behavior.

Every one of us can make a difference. Pause before you share. Challenge online hate. Stand up for the targeted. Speak for the silenced. Together, we can transform Nigeria’s digital spaces into places where women and girls can speak, learn, lead, and thrive.

This year’s 16 Days of Activism theme—“UNiTE! End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls”—demands action. It reminds us that online abuse is not a private problem. It is a societal challenge. Ending it is a shared responsibility. Technology must lift us, not harm us. Rights must be protected. Voices must be heard.

We know the challenges are real. Gender inequality persists. Women are underrepresented in politics. Cyberviolence is rising. But hope is real. Change is possible. Courage exists in every girl who logs on to learn. Strength exists in every woman who speaks her mind online. Resilience exists in every survivor who refuses to be silenced.

Now is the time to act. Build policies that protect. Build systems that empower. Build a society where women and girls are safe online and offline. Where technology amplifies voices instead of hiding them. Where every woman can dream, aspire, and lead without fear.

We can create that future. A future where every woman and girl is free to speak, lead, and thrive. A future where voices are unbroken.

Voices Unbroken: Ending Digital Violence Against Women and Girls

My Public Servant Journey

By Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji-Abba

Every journey begins with a single step, and mine into public service began on 22nd October 1990, when I took up an appointment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). At that time, I was a young man—full of ambition and determination—eager to contribute my quota to the growth of my community and my country. What I did not realize then was that this path would not only shape my career, but also mold my character, values, and outlook on life.

The Early Days

The early days were not easy. I started from the basics—handling routine administrative tasks, learning the intricacies of record-keeping, and adapting to the demanding environment of public service. It was a period that taught me patience, discipline, and humility. I quickly learned that in public service, dedication and accountability are not optional—they are the very foundation upon which trust is built.
I recall working long hours to ensure that essential records were accurate and supplies were properly managed. It wasn’t glamorous work, but it was crucial. Hospitals rely heavily on efficiency behind the scenes. Every file I handled and every item I documented could impact the quality of care delivered to patients in need.

As the years passed, I rose through the ranks. Promotions came not just as recognition, but as greater calls to commitment. Moving into supervisory and later managerial roles meant I was no longer responsible only for myself, but also for the performance and welfare of others.

Becoming Head of Department (Stores) was a defining milestone in my journey. I was entrusted with ensuring the availability and proper management of critical medical supplies. This role demanded a careful balance—ensuring accountability, minimizing wastage, and making decisions guided by both policy and ethics. It was during this phase that I fully grasped the weight of stewardship. Public service is about managing resources as if they were your own—because in truth, they belong to the people.

No journey is without its trials. The public sector in UMTH is not without its share of bureaucratic bottlenecks, resource constraints, and slow-moving systems. There were moments of frustration—delayed approvals, limited resources, or a lack of recognition.
But I learned to see these challenges as opportunities for personal and professional growth. They built in me a sense of resilience, resourcefulness, and purpose. Most importantly, they reminded me that true service is not about personal comfort, but about the collective good.

Looking back, I carry with me timeless lessons that have guided every stage of my career:

• Integrity is priceless. In public service, honesty and transparency are the strongest currencies.
• Service is sacrifice. It means putting the needs of others above personal convenience.
• Leadership is responsibility. Being in charge is not about authority, but about accountability and inspiration.
• Impact is not always visible. The value of one’s work lies in the quiet difference it makes in people’s lives, even when unrecognized.

Now, with 35 years of service behind me, I see this journey as more than just a career—it has been a life of service. A life defined by quiet but meaningful contributions to healthcare delivery, administrative efficiency, and community impact.
It is indeed a remarkable coincidence that on this very date, 22nd October 1990, I began my career in the service of UMTH—and today, 22nd October 2025, I formally retire. Exactly thirty-five (35) years of committed and honorable service.
This symbolic alignment of dates signifies not only the completion of a full circle but also a journey of unwavering dedication, growth, and fulfillment. I am deeply grateful to Almighty Allah (SWT) for His guidance and protection throughout this journey, and for granting me the grace to retire peacefully and honorably.

I am honored and fulfilled by the efforts I made and the contributions I offered—even in the face of challenges. My heartfelt prayers go to those still in service: May Allah (SWT) grant you wisdom, ease, and peace to complete your own journey with honor.
To the Management of UMTH, I offer this parting counsel:

• Treat every member of staff with justice, fairness, and dignity.
• Appointments and promotions should be based on merit and seniority—not favoritism, influence, or eye service.
• Keep your promises and let honesty and transparency guide your decisions.
• Let every staff member feel valued and motivated, and let patients feel the true presence of government through ethical, heartfelt service. Revive the ethical conduct and professionalism that once defined UMTH—a place where patients receive the best care and staff are proud to serve.

In Conclusion

Public service gave me a sense of purpose, pride, and legacy. Service does not end with retirement—it is a lifelong calling. And if I were to begin all over again, I would still choose this noble path.
Because in serving others, we find the truest meaning of life. Thank you.

Comrade Abubakar a distinguished and Meritorious Retiree of the UMTH lives in Maiduguri. He is an Administrative Veteran with Accomplished and legendary Pace setting records.

My Public Servant Journey

AND WE WILL WIN!

By: Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez

Fidel Castro Ruz, historic leader and Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution, celebrates his 99th birthday today, in the prime of his life.

I write this in the present tense because that’s how I feel and because that’s how the celebration is unfolding for the beginning of a symbolic year for Cuba and for all those around the world who recognize the significance of his revolutionary leadership.

I’m speaking of the centennial or the eternity of a man who remains alive in time, even when the physical, the material, turned to ashes almost a decade ago and he left it clear that he didn’t want statues or monuments in his memory.

What not even he could decree was the impossible, that is, his oblivion. And there he remains, alive and present as only the eternal is. Because that destiny, as history has proven so many times, is not decided by anyone, only by the enduring power of the ideas of those who have guided hundreds, thousands, millions of human beings to achieve their dreams of emancipation and justice.

Fidel is eternal, not by his own choice or by those of us who try to follow in his footsteps and continue his immense work of social justice. He achieved that status by interpreting, synthesizing, and making his own the magnificent accumulation of Cuban, Latin American, Caribbean, and universal pro-independence, anti-colonial, anti-imperialist, and Marxist ideals that preceded him, placing himself at the forefront for all time.

In his intense public speeches or in his long private conversations, he displayed a total command of that infinite wealth of knowledge, dazzling the most diverse audiences from the first word to the last. But what has truly immortalized him is everything he said that he transformed, every action turned into work.

In these markedly Fidel-inspired days, when each of us displays, in books, videos, traditional media, or social media, the Fidel who accompanies us, we are taking credit for that eternity, to our own heartfelt emotion and that of others who feel the same. Or to the hateful denial of those who cannot bear the dazzling vitality of his ideas.

In my case, as you might imagine, Fidel is not just present. He is a constant: a guide and a challenge. An example and a source of sleeplessness.

I feel he remains at the forefront, as in the Sierra or at Girón. Every time threats grow, when necessity compels, when the blockade seems to close all exits, the question arises spontaneously: What would Fidel do?

The good fortune of having known him, of having seen him act, and of having received his guidance many times, makes the answers easier: they are in the people, in their infinite reserves of dignity and talent. And in the indispensable unity of all revolutionary forces around Martí’s ideal of achieving all justice.

He was supported by those certainties that we understand science and innovation as a pillar of government management. And with the talent, the solid material foundation he created, and the audacity of the country’s men and women of science and thought, which he shaped for the future that is now present, we faced and defeated the pandemic and continue to strive to overcome even seemingly insurmountable obstacles like the blockade and our internal inefficiencies.

In Fidel’s history, from his student years to his undeniable presence today, there is an infinite number of lessons, and they all coincide on one point: he never allowed himself to be defeated by circumstances. Even the greatest blows from his adversary only served to elevate his stature as a leader to a higher level.

Examining each of his battles, one can see the deep motivations that this leader, born from his very core, always awakened in this courageous people, turning setbacks into victory. Then we understand the full meaning of the farewell Che Guevara dedicated exclusively to him before leaving for other lands of the world, which the Cuban people made an irrevocable goal: Until victory, always. Never forgetting the Homeland or Death that makes it possible. Nor the optimism in a word: We will win!

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez
Cuban President, wrote this article on the 99th Posthumous Birthday of Former Cuban President Fidel Castro.

AND WE WILL WIN!