Women defenders get digital platform to report abuse

Women human rights defenders can now report cases of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, physical attacks, threats and intimidation through a new digital platform designed to improve access to justice and support services.

The Women Human Rights Defenders Hub has introduced a reporting mechanism that allows women to document abuses and access legal, medical and psychosocial support through a website, mobile application and toll-free USSD service.

"From our data collection and monitoring, we were able to pick up issues that were not necessarily related only to women environmental defenders, but also women in political spaces and leadership positions, and the harmful narratives that were limiting their participation in digital public spaces," said Stephanie Wangoi, a programmes officer at the Women Human Rights Defenders Hub.

She said the initiative followed a two-day convening, bringing together women human rights defenders, environmental activists, journalists and media practitioners to examine technology-facilitated gender-based violence, its effects and mechanisms for documenting and reporting abuse.

Wangoi said the organisation's monitoring through the E-Monitor platform had exposed cases of online harassment targeting women activists, including those who emerged during the Finance Bill protests.

She cited the experiences of women who faced harmful narratives and online attacks for speaking out against human rights violations and challenging those in positions of power.

The organisation has now expanded its reporting mechanisms to capture abuse experienced through private messages, WhatsApp and phone calls, which often goes undocumented.

Through its website, www.whrd.org, victims can access the abuse-reporting section, while a mobile application provides another channel for submitting complaints.

Those without internet access can use the toll-free USSD code *384*9# to report incidents, making the service accessible to women in grassroots communities with basic mobile phones.

Wangoi said reported cases trigger notifications to the organisation, which conducts verification and follows up with survivors who consent to being contacted.

"We do not want to leave it at the point of referral. We are also able to walk that journey with them," she said, adding that the organisation was onboarding national stakeholders to strengthen referral networks across counties.

The platform provides pathways for survivors to seek legal assistance, medical attention and psychosocial support, depending on the nature of abuse reported.

Wangoi called on formal justice institutions, including the police and gender desks, to work more closely with women human rights defenders and address barriers that discourage survivors from seeking assistance.

She said building trust in formal justice systems was critical to ensuring women could safely report violations and pursue justice without facing further intimidation.