Jennifer Ayot, Social Inclusion Manager for Global Empowerment for Poverty Alleviation (GEPA) South Sudan, during the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against GBV in Juba on Thursday, December 12, 2024. | Credit: GEPA

A civil society activist has emphasized how digital platforms play a dual role in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) in the country, both supporting and hindering efforts to address the issue.

During an event in Juba on Thursday, December 12, marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Jennifer Ayot, Social Inclusion Manager for Global Empowerment for Poverty Alleviation (GEPA) South Sudan, emphasized the potential of technology to spread positive messages.

The event was held under the theme “Creative Concerted Action Against Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan.”

GEPA South Sudan is a national NGO working on a project aimed at promoting the safety and protection of women and girls in South Sudan.

Ayot stressed the importance of using digital platforms to help mitigate these harmful behaviours.

The activist highlighted the potential of technology to spread positive messages and raise awareness to help mitigate online violence such as cyberbullying, sextortion, and revenge porn.

She outlined the significant role technology can play in both exacerbating and addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in the country.

Ayot noted that while digital platforms have been used to spread harmful content, they also provide an opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for change.

“Technology plays a crucial role in spreading various kinds of information, some of which are helpful, while others contribute to the escalation of GBV,” Ayot said.

She pointed to emerging forms of online violence such as revenge porn, sextortion, doxing, cyberstalking, and cyberbullying as examples of harmful practices facilitated by digital platforms.

However, Ayot stressed that GEPA South Sudan is working to harness the power of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to spread positive messages and raise awareness about the dangers of online violence.

“We want to use these platforms to ensure that positive messages reach users, gradually mitigating violence in our society,” she added.

In addition to awareness-raising efforts, Ayot called for stronger advocacy for legislative change.

South Sudan currently lacks comprehensive laws addressing cybercrimes, with only an act introduced in 2021 and a bill passed in 2024 that has yet to be enacted.

Ayot emphasized the importance of enacting this bill to provide a legal framework for addressing technology-facilitated violence.

“We want to advocate for this bill to be enacted so that we can take strong measures to prevent online violence and protect victims,” Ayot said.

She urged for the government to prioritize passing the bill, enabling authorities to take punitive action against individuals who engage in technology-facilitated GBV.

With the growing influence of digital spaces in South Sudan, Ayot believes that both awareness and legal measures will be critical in addressing the challenges of online gender-based violence.