By: Kadijatu Ishmatu Bangura
The Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) has urged stronger protection of women’s digital rights during a national forum in Freetown, highlighting the urgent need to address online harassment, cyberbullying, and violations of privacy. The event brought together journalists, civil society leaders, and policymakers to discuss how women can be safeguarded in digital spaces as Sierra Leone deepens its internet penetration.
Speaking at the forum, Dr. Francis Sowa, the National Coordinator of MRCG, said: “As more women engage with digital platforms for journalism, activism, and civic participation, it is critical that their rights are protected and their voices amplified.” He emphasized that women’s digital rights are central to democracy and media freedom.
Representatives from Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WiMSAL) and the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ) shared testimonies of female journalists who have faced online harassment, including threats, fake accounts, and smear campaigns. Eastina Taylor-Tucker, President of WiMSAL, noted: “Women continue to encounter harassment, intimidation, and exclusion in digital spaces, and these challenges directly affect their freedom of expression.”
The forum identified several challenges: weak enforcement of cybercrime laws, limited awareness of digital rights among women, cultural stigma that discourages survivors from reporting abuse, and the exclusion of rural women from digital literacy programs. Participants agreed that these gaps undermine women’s participation in public life and national development.
Recommendations included updating cyber laws to explicitly criminalize online harassment, training law enforcement and judiciary on handling digital rights violations, launching public awareness campaigns, and establishing hotlines and digital safety centers for survivors. Civil society leaders stressed that collaboration between government, media, and advocacy groups is essential to monitor abuses and ensure accountability.
Globally, organizations such as UN Women and the World Wide Web Foundation have documented rising cases of online abuse against women, urging governments to strengthen protections. Sierra Leone’s forum aligns with these international calls, marking a step toward inclusive digital rights advocacy.
One participant summed up the urgency: “When women are silenced online, society loses half of its voice.”
The forum concluded with a resolution to draft a national action plan on women’s digital rights, to be presented to Parliament later this year. Organizers hope this will mark a turning point in Sierra Leone’s digital rights landscape, ensuring women can fully and safely engage in online spaces.
By placing women’s digital rights at the center of national discourse, MRCG and its partners are pushing Sierra Leone toward a future where online participation is safe, inclusive, and empowering.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 7th September 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
