By Taonga Theu
The digital age has brought good things and bad things. It connects people, but it also causes problems. In Malawi, many women and girls face a big problem; online gender-based violence (GBV). It's getting worse, and we need to do something about it fast.
Two years ago, Martha Kakodwa lost her daughter, Lise, to cyberbullying. Lise's ex-boyfriend, Tony, posted private pictures of her on social media after their breakup. This hurt Lise a lot, and she couldn't take it anymore. She ended her life because of the pain.
Naphi, a young businesswoman from Blantyre, also suffered. Her ex-boyfriend, Pat, shared her nude photos online out of revenge. Naphi asked for help, but people blamed her instead of helping her, making things even harder for her.
Recho Mwale, a college student in Lilongwe, went through a tough time in high school. A friend bullied her online, making her feel terrible. Recho thought about ending her life because of the bullying. She had to stay away from social media to feel better.
Lusungu Kalanga, an activist, says we can't ignore cyberbullying. We need to work together to stop it. The government needs to do more to protect people from online violence.
The government knows cyberbullying is a problem. They promised to change the law to fight it in 2021, but it's not enough. We need better laws to stop cyberbullying.
The United Nations, in partnership with the European Union, implemented the Spotlight Initiative in Malawi to tackle the root causes of violence against women and girls.
Last year, this initiative led to a 22% increase in the prosecution of perpetrator. Eighty-four laws and policies were either passed or strengthened to combat gender-based violence.
The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) is worried too. They see that girls are suffering from cyberbullying and theh are on an action campaign to keep people safe online.
Malawi High Court Judge Fiona Mwale stressed the need for institutions to put in place and implement laws aimed at curbing gender-based violence.
On the other hand, Section 24 of Malawi's constitution stipulates that "women and girls have the right to full and equal protection by the law" and "have the right not to be discriminated against on the basis of their gender or marital status.
We can't stay silent about cyberbullying anymore. We need to stand up against it. Women and girls deserve to be safe online. Let's work together to make the internet a safer place for everyone.
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