Thiès, 25 November 2025- As the world marks the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Tostan highlights a reality that remains largely overlooked: online violence also affects rural communities, where prevention and support mechanisms are still poorly adapted to local realities.
Access to digital tools is increasing in rural areas. In Senegal, 99.1 percent of people living in rural zones use a mobile phone (2024 ICT Survey). At the same time, several regional analyses show that harassment, non-consensual sharing of images, and fraud through digital services are among the most common forms of online violence.
A Hidden Reality in the Data
These incidents have direct consequences on young women’s mental and physical wellbeing. Online attacks restrict their participation in community life, erode trust between families, and weaken social cohesion.
Yet most national studies do not distinguish between urban and rural contexts, leaving village realities largely invisible in official statistics. This data gap limits understanding of the phenomenon and hinders the development of effective prevention mechanisms. Women and young people in rural areas are therefore exposed to these risks with limited access to information, support services, and reporting mechanisms.
Co-Creating Solutions with Communities
Tostan’s experience, built over more than thirty years working alongside communities, shows that the most effective solutions emerge when responses are co-created with communities, taking into account their social dynamics, cultural practices, and values. In many villages, local structures and community dialogue spaces already serve as essential resources for addressing sensitive issues and supporting those affected.
Building on this approach, Tostan will convene a cross-border meeting on December 10 in Kolda, bringing together around 100 villages from Senegal and The Gambia. This gathering will provide a space to share experiences, identify emerging risks linked to online violence, and explore solutions adapted to rural realities.
“Communities already have local structures and inclusive dialogue spaces that can serve as strong reference points to prevent all forms of violence, including online violence, and support those affected,” said Sobel Aziz Ngom, Tostan’s CEO.
Strengthening Local Actors Through the ACT Project
The ACT (Advocacy Action and Transformative Feminist Coalition to End Violence Against Women in West and Central Africa) project, implemented by Tostan with the support of UN Women, reinforces this momentum. Launched in February 2025, it aims to strengthen the capacities of local organizations and support collective action against all forms of gender-based violence, including online violence.
To date, eight federations of community-led structures and 25 local feminist organizations from Senegal and The Gambia have been trained to advance advocacy grounded in rural realities.
“Addressing online violence in rural areas is essential to ensure that all women and girls can live in safety. The ACT project works to strengthen local organizations so they can bring their priorities to influence regional and national policies,” said Angela MURULI, Regional Programme Coordinator, ACT Project, UN Women West and Central Africa.
About Tostan
Based in Senegal and working across 4 countries in West Africa, Tostan has supported communities for more than 30 years to pursue their vision of well-being grounded in human rights. The organization works in four West African countries and runs a community education program in local languages that strengthens good governance, improves social conditions, and expands opportunities for women and youth. Learn more at www.tostan.org.
About the ACT Project
The Advocacy, Coalition Building and Transformative Feminist Action (ACT) Project is a joint commitment between the European Commission and UN Women to strengthen global and regional efforts to end violence against women and girls. Building on the gains of the Spotlight Initiative, ACT supports regional feminist movements, coalitions and women’s rights organizations across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. The project enhances advocacy, expands collective action and promotes transformative social norms change.
In Senegal and The Gambia and across borders with Mali and Guinea Bissau, Tostan contributes to ACT by supporting community-led social norms change and leading a Community of Practice and cross-country dialogues focused on harm prevention and gender equality.
