{"id":20118677,"date":"2025-07-20T17:10:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T15:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20118677"},"modified":"2025-07-21T19:56:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T17:56:21","slug":"sudan-digital-war-and-violence-against-women-on-the-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/sudan-digital-war-and-violence-against-women-on-the-rise","title":{"rendered":"Sudan: Digital war and violence against women on the rise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Malak Bala of the Women\u2019s Media Network for Sudan Media Forum<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the outbreak of war in Sudan on April 15, 2023, women of all backgrounds have faced increasing challenges and multiple violations, most notably the spread of systematic hate speech, which has become a dangerous tool used to distort the image of women and marginalise their role in public and digital spaces.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amid the conflict, online campaigns have become a lethal weapon, spearheaded by organised groups operating behind closed doors dedicated to spreading misinformation and incitement, particularly against women activists and actors in politics, media, and civil society. These women are subjected to systematic smear campaigns and denied full citizenship rights simply because they expressed anti-war positions or attempted to contribute to peace-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defamation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nujoud, a human rights defender, says that hate speech directed against women has significantly contributed to the complexity of the Sudanese landscape. She explains that many female politicians, feminists, and journalists have been subjected to defamation on social media in campaigns targeting their personal and professional reputations, prompting many to withdraw from the public sphere under extreme psychological pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discrimination and exclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mai Abdel Qader, a journalist and human rights defender, asserts that female activists and party activists are increasingly vulnerable to abuse. She adds, \u201cSome women have been subjected to discrimination and exclusion simply because of their political affiliation or media activity. Some have even been prevented from renewing their passports, despite this being a legal right guaranteed to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activist Mahasin Atim says that the intense polarisation and mobilisation against political opponents, especially women, has increased the spread of hate speech, which in turn has marginalised women politically and socially, weakened their sense of security, and negatively impacted their mental health and personal safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the face of this reality, Mahasen calls for increasing community awareness of the dangers of hate speech, providing legal support to affected women, and emphasising the need for community solidarity and activating the media\u2019s role in spreading a culture of tolerance, respect, and equality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for Nujood, she believes the solution lies in building a positive counter-narrative that reaffirms the role of women in building peace and society, in addition to establishing community support networks and adopting strict legislation against hate speech and digital violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article, prepared by Malak Bala of the Women\u2019s Media Network, is published via the platforms of Sudan Media Forum<\/em><\/a> and its member institutions, to warn against the spread of hate speech and discrimination against women. The article\u2019s respondents alert us to the need to curb the digital violence that accompanies war and how its repercussions threaten the future of society (see video above.)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Sudan Media Forum Logo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

#SilenceKills #\u0627\u0644\u0635\u0645\u062a_\u064a\u0642\u062a\u0644<\/a> #NoTimeToWasteForSudan<\/a> #\u0627\u0644\u0648\u0636\u0639_\u0641\u064a_\u0627\u0644\u0633\u0648\u062f\u0627\u0646_\u0644\u0627\u064a\u062d\u062a\u0645\u0644_\u0627\u0644\u062a\u0623\u062c\u064a\u0644<\/a> #StandWithSudan<\/a> #SudanMediaForum<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n