NGO trains youths to combat rising abuse, violence

By : Timothy Agboh

Date: 1 December 2025 1:54pm WAT

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A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN), has empowered young people to take the frontline in combating the rising cases of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV).

The training was carried out during a Youth Dialogue held in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, as part of activities marking the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

The event brought together 50 youths to deepen awareness on digital safety, equip participants with strategies to prevent online abuse, and strengthen their capacity to speak out against violence in both physical and digital spaces.

Speaking during the session, Mr. Tobi Opadokun, Senior Communications Officer at CEWHIN, raised concerns about the alarming rise of online abuse targeted at women, girls, and minors.

He revealed that CEWHIN has encountered several disturbing cases in recent months, calling on stakeholders to rise and stem the tide.

Opadokun mentioned various methods used by abusers on women and minors, including Cyberstalking, Sextortion, Doxing, Impersonation, and Image-Based Abuse, also known as Revenge Porn, among others.

He said, “I have seen many cases where a girl’s nude photo went viral on Twitter simply because she had an argument with her boyfriend. We also handled a case where a junior secondary school student was using Artificial Intelligence to generate nude images of his female classmates. These are the new realities we are dealing with.”

He added that while technology has created opportunities for learning, expression, and connection, it has also become a tool for manipulation, exploitation, and long-lasting psychological harm.

Participants engaged in interactive conversations on identifying TFGBV, understanding its connection to offline violence, and learning how to use reporting channels such as the Nigeria Police Force – National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC), MyLawbrella, and StopNCII.org to seek help or report perpetrators.

Zamfara State Governor’s wife, Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal, has flagged off the 2025 16 Days Activism on gender-based violence, GBV, dedicating her efforts to the fight against violence towards women in the State.

The Guardian reports that the 16 Days Activism on gender based violence is an annual global commemoration that specifically advocates against violence against women.

The commemoration was organised by the office of the Zamfara State First Lady in collaboration with the State Ministry for Women, Children and Social Development Affairs.

Speaking, the First Lady described gender-based violence as a factor that remains a profound threat to social well-being and development, saying that there is a need for a movement to call for unity, action and accountability. “Our priorities this year are to strengthen the enforcement of laws that protect survivors, supporting access to justice for victims of online and offline abuse,” she said.

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