By: Seraphine Nyuiemedi
As part of efforts to bridge the digital gender divide and tackle the growing threat of online abuse, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has concluded a two-day digital literacy and rights training workshop for female journalists in Ho.
The workshop, which took place from July 29 to July 30, brought together 20 selected female journalists from the Volta Region. With funding support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, the training aimed to equip participants with practical digital skills to stay safe online and promote women’s rights in digital spaces.
In an interview with GBC News, the Programme Manager for Digital Rights at MFWA, Vivian Affoah stressed the importance of the initiative in light of the increasing cases of online gender-based violence, particularly targeting female journalists, politicians, and activists.
“We saw the need to build the capacity of women, especially those in media and leadership, to protect themselves online, understand their rights, and respond to abuse,” she said.
The training covered key topics such as Women’s rights online, Digital safety strategies, Online gender-based violence and its impact on women in public life, Disinformation and its role in silencing women, Introduction to social media and online privacy, Identifying and dealing with online abuse (including available tools and redress mechanisms).
Participants also received hands-on training in digital tools such as Canva, TurboScribe, Google Gemini, Google Alerts among others to support their journalistic work and amplify their advocacy online.
Madam Affoah noted that the workshop in Ho adds to a growing list of similar trainings held in Accra and Tamale, with Takoradi scheduled to host the next session. Since 2019, MFWA has trained over 400 female journalists nationwide under the initiative.
“We are committed to creating a safer and more inclusive online space for women, but this requires collective effort and continued support,” she added.
MFWA is calling on stakeholders including media institutions, policymakers, and tech platforms to take action against online gender-based violence and help build an equitable digital environment, especially for women.
