A civil society organisation (CSO), Centre for Redefining Alternative Civic Engagement (RACE) for Africa, has unveiled an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tracker to monitor online gender-based violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Evelyn Ugbe, executive director of RACE, said at the launch on Friday in Abuja that the platform would be used to track digital attacks against women, especially those participating in politics.

She said the initiative was aimed at creating a safer online environment where women, including students, public office holders and political aspirants, could participate freely without fear of harassment.

“As we move into an election year, we already foresee the dangers of online misinformation, disinformation and gender-based attacks targeting women in politics,” Ms Ugbe said.

She said RACE’s election monitoring had shown that female politicians were often subjected to smear campaigns aimed at undermining their credibility and electoral chances.

Ms Ugbe cited findings from the 2025 Anambra governorship election, where the organisation documented online abuse against a female candidate.

She said the candidate was cyberbullied, while AI-generated images were circulated to ridicule and discredit her.

According to her, the attacks shifted focus from the candidate’s manifesto and policy ideas to her appearance, adding that such tactics were intended to weaken women’s credibility and discourage political participation.

Ms Ugbe urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organisations, policymakers and law enforcement agencies to prioritise online gender-based violence during elections.

She explained that the organisation previously documented cases of digital violence manually, recording just over 500 incidents.

Ms Ugbe said that within three months of deploying the AI-powered tracker, RACE documented more than 20,000 cases of online gender-based violence across Africa.

She said the technology was developed with local languages, keywords and data to improve its ability to detect harmful online content within African communities.

Ms Ugbe added that the tracker would provide evidence to support advocacy, policy development, accountability and victim protection.

“We live in a highly patriarchal and misogynistic society. The violence that exists offline has simply been transferred online,” she said.

She called for stronger enforcement of existing laws, improved regulation of digital platforms and greater support for victims.

Also, Precious Samuel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said victims of AI-generated abuse often withdraw from public life because of its emotional impact.

She said the effects of such abuse extend beyond online platforms to victims’ homes, families, churches and communities.

Ms Samuel said the tracker marked a major milestone, as it would provide credible data for engagement with social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook and Instagram on addressing misuse of their platforms.

“With this tracker, we can present evidence showing the harm caused through these platforms and push for stronger accountability,” she said.

Emmanuella Azu, regional director, expansion and experience of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) Africa, called on young Nigerians to actively participate in the country’s electoral process.

Ms Azu urged eligible voters not to treat the 2027 election as “business as usual”, encouraging them to obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs) and vote.

“Your vote is the hope for tomorrow. It is about our future. If we want a better Nigeria, we all have to participate in making it happen,” she said. 

(NAN)