Regulate social media to curb femicide, GBV – report

President William Ruto receives the report from the Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence taskforce chairperson Nancy Baraza /HANDOUT

A new report by the GBV Technical Working Group has called for the regulation of digital spaces to curb rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.

The report by the Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence says the absence of digital ethics guidelines and low digital literacy have normalised online GBV and contributed to a culture of desensitisation and impunity.

“While social media has been a powerful tool for awareness-raising, it has also become a space for victim-blaming and shaming, misinformation, and the circulation of graphic content that retraumatises survivors and families,” the report by the taskforce chaired by former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza says.

To mitigate this, the taskforce wants a GBV Digital Ethics Code for the media to be established and content moderation strengthened to protect survivors.

According to the report, the lack of reliable and gender-sensitive data has undermined efforts to detect patterns and respond to emerging threats of GBV and femicide.

“There is no centralised, disaggregated, or publicly accessible national data system on GBV and femicide. The lack of real-time, reliable and gender-sensitive data undermines efforts to detect patterns, respond to emerging threats, evaluate interventions, and develop evidence-based policy solutions,” the report says.

It also recommends the mandatory installation of security measures, including Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV), in all short-stay rentals, lodgings, and commercial accommodation facilities to enhance security and prevent GBV incidents.

President William Ruto established the taskforce on January 10 last year following a series of protests by human rights activists over rising cases of GBV and femicide.

Its mandate included identifying trends and causes of GBV and femicide; analysing the adequacy of current legal and policy frameworks; and evaluating resource allocation, training levels, and operational effectiveness in prevention, response, support, and investigations related to GBV and femicide cases.

The taskforce also examined the role of social media coverage in GBV and femicide, including its influence on public perception, awareness, and policy-making.

Identifying psychological issues related to the commission of crimes associated with GBV and femicide also fell under its mandate.