Women and young politicians in Southern Africa face rising digital violence

Digital violence against women and young people engaged in politics in Southern Africa is a growing concern that threatens democratic participation. This form of violence includes coordinated harassment, doxxing, and sexualized deepfakes, which go beyond damaging reputations to increasing the personal cost of public speech.

From August 22 to 29, 2026, Madagascar was scheduled to host the 59th plenary assembly of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum. Although canceled due to health reasons, the agenda was to focus on the role of parliaments in combating and preventing digital violence, especially against women and youth in politics. This marks a significant recognition of digital violence as a barrier to democratic engagement.

When female candidates, elected officials, or young activists face such attacks, their ability to speak out, hold office, and remain visible in the public sphere is undermined. Digital violence acts as an informal political selection mechanism, making political participation riskier and costlier for certain groups.

Unlike formal legal restrictions, digital violence imposes indirect costs: victims must invest time, technical skills, legal aid, and sometimes protect their families. These resources are unevenly distributed, disproportionately affecting women and youth.

A study by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Pan-African Parliament, based on confidential interviews with 224 women working in parliaments across 50 African countries and one regional assembly, found that 46% of participants in Africa have experienced digital violence. This data highlights the scale of the problem and its impact on political inclusion.