At launch of 16 Days of Activism: Minister calls for united action to end digital violence against women, girls.

She also urged the stakeholders to push for stronger legislation, and enforcing existing laws to protect women and girls from online abuse with collective action to end the growing threat of digital violence.

The minister made the call on November 25, while officially launching the 19th edition of the global campaign, 16 Days of Activism Against Violence on Women and Girls. 

The 2025 campaign will run from November 25 to December 10 under the theme: “United to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls”. 

In her keynote address, the Minister underscored that participating in this global movement remains a renewed commitment by Cameroon to safeguard the rights and dignity of women and girls.

“It is with renewed pleasure that I officially launch the 19th edition of the global campaign. This annual initiative links two symbolic dates: the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and International Human Rights Day. This link clearly shows that violence against women and girls is a fundamental human rights violation,” she said 

Insists digital violence is emerging threat

According to the member of government, this year’s theme focuses on a relatively new, yet increasingly harmful form of abuse, digital or technology-facilitated violence. 

She noted that as digital technologies and social media become central to communication and economic participation, they have also created new avenues for harassment, intimidation, tracking, and exploitation.

The minister noted that digital space, once celebrated as a space of freedom and innovation, has also become a breeding ground for gender-based violence. 

“Digital violence is devastating. It destroys careers, isolates women, silences their voices, and sometimes endangers their lives,” she warned.

She cited some forms of online violence such as cyber harassment, hacking, identity theft, stalking, non-consensual sharing of images, surveillance and intimidation which have surged globally. Cameroon, she stressed, is not spared. 

Experiences shared during the inaugural lecture and testimonies presented at the ceremony, she added, underscored the depth of trauma many women and girls endure.

“The fight against violence, whether physical or digital, is a fight for human dignity. Let us unite, act together, and build a digital environment where every woman and girl is safe, respected and empowered,” she stated.

Outlines gov’t’s commitment and legal reforms

According to Prof Abena Ondoa, the country, under the leadership of the Head of State, President Paul Biya, has made significant strides in building a legal framework to combat both physical and digital gender-based violence. 

She outlined major reforms and initiatives, including: National Strategy to Combat Gender-Based Violence 2022–2026; Law No. 2010/012 on cyber security and cybercrime; Law No. 2023/009 protecting children online; Law No. 2024/017 on personal data protection.

She also mentioned the 116 child helpline, which also receives reports of digital abuse; the draft bill specifically targeting violence against women and girls, with digital violence integrated as well as ongoing digital monitoring by the National Information and Communication Technologies Agency, ANTIC, which works to track harmful content and protect digital users.

She regretted that despite these efforts, the fight demands more than laws. 

“We must reinforce awareness campaigns, advocate stronger sanctions against perpetrators, and ensure that all citizens understand and take ownership of the laws. Only by acting together can we end digital violence,” she said

Enter UNICEF

Taking the floor, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Children Funds, UNICEF, in Cameroon, Nadine Perrault, delivered the official UN message for the campaign. She underscored the need to strengthen digital security to achieve gender equality. 

“Digital security is essential for promoting gender equality,” she emphasised, adding that “this is why the UN has chosen to focus on digital violence this year”.

Beyond speeches, the launching ceremony equally served as a platform to share testimonies and educate participants. A video presentation by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, showcased survivors’ testimonies, painting a vivid picture of the emotional and physical consequences of gender-based violence both online and offline.

Experts address solutions to digital violence 

Another key point of the launch was a high-level roundtable discussion on the theme “United to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls”. 

The session was moderated by magistrate and analyst, Ulrich Ovono Ondoua, who doubles as President of the Club of Ambassadors for Positive Masculinity. His expertise brought balance to the conversation, emphasising men’s roles in promoting safer digital spaces.

The first presentation came from Prof Justin Diffo, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency. 

Addressing “Leadership in the service of women's leadership in a world without violence”, she called for stronger involvement of women in digital governance and decision-making platforms.

The second speaker, Tchamanbe Claude Hermann, representing Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL, focused on empowering women and girls through digital education. 

He stressed that digital literacy is key not only to preventing online violence but also to promoting women’s participation in the digital economy.

Representing Orange Cameroun, Elizabeth A. Mabom, Secretary General of the Orange Cameroun Foundation, elaborated on practical measures to secure social media accounts. She also highlighted the need for training in digital marketing to expand economic opportunities for young women.

On her part, Gaëlle Brenda Akotiko, Cybersecurity Analyst at ANTIC, provided insights on cybersecurity challenges and the tools available to promote safe browsing. She stressed that awareness and preventive measures remain the best shields against online abuse.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3639 of Friday November 28, 2025