Africa: Stop the Digital War On Women Journalists: FAJ Urges Action to End Impunity in Africa

The 2025 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI) theme, “Chat GBV: Raising Awareness on AI-facilitated Gender-Based Violence against Women Journalists,” highlights the urgent need to confront the use of artificial intelligence and other digital tools to harass, silence and endanger women working in the media. These online attacks, including coordinated harassment, sexualised threats, doxing and digital surveillance, have become some of the most dangerous methods of suppressing women’s voices in journalism.

For every woman journalist intimidated into silence, society loses access to vital information, accountability and balanced reporting. When such crimes go unpunished, perpetrators are emboldened and the message is clear: violence against journalists carries no consequence. This culture of impunity has created a climate of fear that harms press freedom and gender equality across the continent.

Technology has opened new spaces for freedom of expression, but it has also created new frontlines of abuse. Digital smear campaigns, manipulated images, cyberstalking and relentless online bullying are increasingly targeting women journalists across Africa. These assaults aim to humiliate, discredit and isolate them, frequently leading to physical danger offline. FAJ stresses that online violence is real violence. The harm it causes to women’s safety, mental health and professional standing cannot be ignored. The digital sphere has become an extension of the threats journalists already face in their physical environments, which demands the same urgency and seriousness in response.

FAJ urges African governments to confront this growing threat by enforcing laws that recognise and criminalise technology-facilitated gender-based violence and ensuring that those who attack journalists online or offline are investigated and prosecuted. Justice systems need to be made stronger so they can respond properly and police should be taught how to handle digital evidence in cases involving women journalists. Ending impunity requires political will. Authorities must treat crimes against journalists, including online harassment, as attacks on press freedom and the journalistic profession itself. FAJ calls for governments to move beyond symbolic gestures and commit to real accountability through transparent investigations, victim support and meaningful prosecutions.

News media organisations also have a duty to act. FAJ calls on all media houses to prioritise the safety of their staff by adopting gender-sensitive policies, providing confidential reporting channels and integrating digital security and mental health support into their newsroom culture. Protecting women journalists should not depend on individual resilience but on collective responsibility. Technology companies must simultaneously ensure that their platforms do not serve as targets for journalists. Social media firms should enhance content moderation, swiftly remove harmful material and promptly share data with investigators upon credible threats. Profits from online engagement cannot come at the cost of women’s safety and freedom of expression.

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