Category: Africa

Mediterranean ‘becoming a cemetery for children and their futures’

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More than 11,600 unaccompanied children have crossed the Central Mediterranean to Italy so far this year the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, an increase of 60 per cent compared with last year.

More than 11,600 unaccompanied children have crossed the Central Mediterranean to Italy so far this year the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, an increase of 60 per cent compared with last year.

The number of arrivals peaked this month on the small island of Lampedusa off Italy’s southern coast, with 4,800 people arriving on a single day, the agency noted.

According to news reports, a migrant reception centre there was overwhelmed earlier this month, as aid and medical workers coped with transferring thousands of people to the mainland.

Many of the flimsy and crowded boats sink or capsize in the Mediterranean, leading to over 2,000 deaths so far this year, according to UN migration agency IOM.

The real figure is likely considerably higher due to boats that sink that without trace.

 

“Children who undertake these harrowing journeys alone are often placed in overcrowded inflatable dinghies or shoddy wooden fishing boats unsuitable for poor weather conditions. Some are placed in the hold of the ship, some on iron barges – particularly dangerous for navigation,” UNICEF stated.

According to the UN humanitarian agency, “the lack of regionwide, coordinated and adequate search and rescue capacities and cooperation at sea on disembarkation compound the dangers children face when crossing.”

War, conflict, violence and poverty are among the main factors, prompting children to flee their home countries alone.

UNICEF highlighted that “Evidence shows that unaccompanied children are at risk of exploitation and abuse on every step of their journeys, with girls and children from sub-Saharan Africa the most likely to suffer abuse.”

Nearly 1,000 dead on central route

It said between June and August this year, at least 990 people including children died or disappeared as they attempted to cross the Central Mediterranean, triple the number compared to the same period last summer when at least 334 people lost their lives.

Children who survive their journeys are first held in centres known as hotspots before being transferred to reception facilities that are often closed and limit movement.

More than 21,700 unaccompanied children across Italy are currently in such facilities, up from 17,700 a year ago.

‘Broken migration system’

“The Mediterranean Sea has become a cemetery for children and their futures. The devastating toll on children seeking asylum and safety in Europe is a result of policy choices and a broken migration system,” said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director, and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Response in Europe.

“The adoption of a Europe-wide response to supporting children and families seeking asylum and safety and a sustained increase in international aid to support countries faced by multiple crises are desperately needed to prevent more children suffering.”

In line with international law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF is calling on governments to provide safer and legal pathways for seeking asylum and ensure children are not held in closed facilities.

Boost protection

It’s also recommending strengthened national child protection systems and more coordination of search and rescue operations that lead to safe disembarkation.

The agency said the ongoing debate between the European Parliament and EU Member States on a new pact on migration and asylum presents an immediate opportunity to affirm and uphold key child protection principles.

 

Kenya’s Approach To Tackling Fake News: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

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Facing down a tidal wave of disinformation ahead of Kenya’s presidential elections in 2022, the Government and the UN collaborated on a national anti-hate speech plan and an innovative consortium of influencers to calm the waters before voters cast their ballots.

Stephen Jackson, the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, reflects on the 2022 elections, which saw an effective partnership with the Government and private-sector rise to the occasion to take down fake news.

“No one is born with hate. Hate is taught, and then hate spreads.

Over recent years, social media and other digital platforms, amplified by algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI), have enabled vitriolic messages with hatred and disinformation to ‘spread like wildfire’, as the Secretary-General has stated.

United Nations Stephen Jackson of Ireland is the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya.

In many countries around the world – rich and less well off – hate speech and disinformation threaten social cohesion, sowing chaos and confusion, polarizing communities, igniting online and sometimes offline violence, and undermining faith in democracy itself.

Kenya has been no exception.

‘Avalanches of hateful messaging’

Hate speech and disinformation are at their most destabilizing during electoral periods, when avalanches of hateful messaging and divergent, destabilizing narratives confuse voters to distinguish between fact and falsehood, and between ‘truth’ and conspiracy theories.

In Kenya, according to a Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism survey, 75 per cent of respondents said that they found it hard to distinguish between what is real and what is fake when it comes to news on the internet.

Recognizing the scale of this threat ahead of the 2022 presidential elections, the Government of Kenya and our team at the Resident Coordinator’s office jumped into action.

‘Milestone’ anti-hate speech action plan

In June 2022, Kenya launched a national action plan against hate speech, as part of its long-term Roadmap for Peaceful Elections, which was designed to curb and prevent disinformation and inflammation via social media and to inform peaceful counter-messaging.

Having helped Kenya to develop this milestone plan, the United Nations was equally determined to help find innovative ways to support its implementation.

The first step was ensuring that the competent Kenyan institutions gained the ability to track and monitor hate speech in real-time and understand the environment in which they proliferate.

© UN Women/Kennedy Okoth Two women seeking to become part of the political process in Kenya exchange ideas.

Countering hate speech in real-time

Given how complex and fast-moving social media is, this task couldn’t be done alone. It needed pulling together a multistakeholder partnership, with buy-in from different partners: government, civil society, local influencers, and the media platforms themselves.

Thanks to the convening capacities that come with the role of UN Resident Coordinator and the invaluable work of our advisors on peace and development and human rights, we were able to do just that.

We helped the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the Media Council of Kenya to create an innovative, high-tech consortium with private sector partners to track and counter hate speech in real-time.

© UNDP Kenya A woman casts her vote in Kenya’s election

State-of-the-art online early warning system

With support from the UN Peacebuilding Fund and the German Embassy in Kenya, our Kenya-wide Mapema (early in Swahili) Consortium partnered with AI startups (Code for Africa), youth media platforms (Shujaaz) and online influencer organizations (Aifluence) to build a state-of-the-art online early warning system.

This system had the capacity to not only detect the sources and spreaders of misinformation, tracking in real time in English, Swahili, and Sheng, the street language of Kenyan youth.

Combined with existing systems to monitor other traditional media channels, we were able to help the competent Kenyan institutions paint a more vivid picture of the networks and influencers which were amplifying the disinformation.

Keeping up the good fight

But, we can’t stop here. Beyond the election, it’s incumbent on all international partners like the UN to help Kenya further deepen her remarkable democracy. A big part of doing that is the ongoing fight to strengthen accountability mechanisms and bolster the Government’s long-term capacity to stop the spread and mitigate the pernicious impact of hate speech on Kenya’s public life.”

The EU-EAC Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP II) launch

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The launch of the European Union (EU) – East African Community (EAC) MARKUP II programme begins a new phase with the objective of supporting small agribusinesses and horticultural producers to compete in international markets.

It focuses on value chains ranging from cocoa and coffee to avocados, spices, and tea.

Over the last five years, the EU-EAC Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) supported small agribusinesses and horticultural producers to compete in international markets.

In phase one, at least 115 companies achieved a collective $16 million in sales and exports. MARKUP I also helped draw in $1 million in investment for over 70 small businesses. Over 40 business support organizations shared that their work became more effective through their involvement in the programme.

Building on these achievements, we are thrilled to announce the official launch of MARKUP II on October 3, 2023, in Arusha, Tanzania. This phase, running until 2027, aims to harness the full potential of agribusiness in the EAC partner states.

The renewed efforts will prioritize sectors and value chains within the EAC, which lay emphasis on processing, value addition, diversification, investment, and export linkages.

EAC members include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republics of Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda.

High-level officials from the EAC, the East African Business Council, the EU Delegation to Tanzania and the EAC, the International Trade Centre (ITC) will attend the launch, along with partners and stakeholders.

 

At the event, the EAC and ITC will sign a Framework of Engagement to chalk out a new path under MARKUP II.

World Bank ACECoR Masters And PhD Scholarships 2024/2025 For African Students

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Application Deadline: 30th September 2023.

Eligible Countries: African countries

To be taken at (country): Ghana

About the Award

MPhil and PhD students admitted to the ACECoR programme are eligible for a scholarship award to facilitate completion of the programme. The scholarships cover tuition, accommodation, monthly stipends and field research grants as well as other material and technical support.

The scholarship will support students to present their innovative research results at local/international conferences and cover publication fees for research papers submitted to high impact journals. Continued funding support is contingent on academic output based on annual performance reviews.

Type: Masters, PhD

Eligibility: The ACECoR scholarships are available to all African nationals who meet admission requirements of the University of Cape Coast. Priority will be given to female applicants as well as applicants from West and Central African countries.

MPhil

The minimum admission requirement for the MPhil programmes is a first degree (Second Class Lower Division or equivalent) in a relevant Science or Engineering discipline, from a recognised university. In addition, the applicant must demonstrate strong interest in research, development and innovation in science and technology, as well as the ability to work optimally and independently in an international multidisciplinary environment.

All candidates must submit the following (indicating the preferred area of specialisation):

  • Completed Scholarship Application form
  • Certified true copy of academic certificates and transcripts
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Statement of Motivation
  • Two (2) letters of recommendation (at least one from a former lecturer/supervisor)
  • A 2-3 page research proposal in the preferred area of specialisation

PhD

The minimum admission requirement for the PhD programmes is a two- year master’s degree with research in a relevant Science or Engineering discipline or equivalent qualification from a recognised university.

In addition, the applicant must demonstrate strong interest in research, development and innovation in science and technology, as well as the ability to work optimally and independently in an international multidisciplinary environment.

All candidates must submit the following (indicating the preferred area of specialisation):

Improving statistics on gender and trade in developing countries

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When it comes to understanding and fostering women’s economic empowerment, measuring the gender dimension of trade has emerged as an increasingly important endeavour.

But for a long time, the lack of data on gender equality in international trade has posed a bottleneck, hampering countries’ abilities to apply the gender lens needed to design policies that equally empower women and men.

To bridge this gap, UNCTAD in 2018 began developing a framework to help countries link existing national statistical data to assess gender in trade. The process, called “microdata linking”, offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to creating new one-off surveys.

The framework has been tested by half a dozen countries, and the methodology is now outlined in UNCTAD’s newly published guidelines for measurement of gender-in-trade statistics, aimed at helping national statistical offices enhance data to inform trade policy development.

“Today’s increasingly complex data needs require interoperable data systems to help derive new insights from the data we have,” said Anu Peltola, who leads statistics work at UNCTAD.

“This is especially important in developing countries where resources are scarce. We cannot afford to leave data unused,” Ms. Peltola added.

Pilots lay bare persisting gender gap in trade

The guidelines were developed as part of a joint project on data and statistics for more gender-responsive trade policies in Africa, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, in which UNCTAD collaborated with the UN’s regional economic commissions for Africa and Europe.

Cameroon, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Senegal and Zimbabwe piloted UNCTAD’s microdata linking methodology and compiled a set of new experimental, sex-disaggregated indicators measuring employment, wages and business ownership.

The results in all six pilot countries reaffirmed gender gaps in favor of men but also revealed many differences across countries.

Georgia and Kenya presented their findings and lessons learned on 30 August at a session of the 9th UN Global Forum on Gender Statistics.

Georgia: Data-driven policymaking to bolster women traders

In Georgia, the results of microdata linking showed fewer women employed in trading enterprises compared to men, with women earning 30% to 35% less.

Meanwhile, the ownership analysis indicated that the number of men owning businesses was about nine times higher than women for businesses that import and export, five times higher for those who only import, and three times more for exporters.

“Gender aspects of trade statistics become very relevant to addressing issues related to welfare and equality. There’s high interest from state institutions, international partners and non-governmental organizations,” said Gogita Todradze, executive director of Georgia’s National Statistics Office.

Drawing on these insights, Georgia plans to include gender-in-trade data in the statistics it regularly produces. The aim is to help government officials design policies that encourage women entrepreneurship, as well as increase job opportunities and wages for women in trade.

Kenya: Government-wide cooperation is key to leveraging existing data

Kenya, another pilot country, credited microdata linking for saving resources, while underscoring the need for cooperation within the government. The statistical data needed for this methodology may come from several different agencies.

For example, Kenya’s National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) does not have access to trade microdata due to the country’s confidentiality policies.

Therefore, cooperation with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) was necessary to link data from the authority’s customs database to its administrative tax data.

Once the microdata linking was complete, the KRA – in keeping with data privacy protocols – anonymized the dataset before handing it over to KNBS for analysis.

Similar to the experience in Georgia, the pilot in Kenya provided insights into gender disparities in trade.

It found that across Kenyan trading companies, men employees accounted for about 65% of the total employees. And men on average were paid 21% to 27% more than women.

Additionally, men accounted for 72% of the total number of owners of trading companies.

“These indicators can inform gender-responsive policymaking by identifying challenges and opportunities to promote gender-inclusive value chains,” said Cynthia Chelimo, who works for Kenya’s State Department for Trade.

Angola: Unlocking the potential of creative industries

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Female street vendors, locally known as “zungueiras”, are a defining characteristic in many Angolan cities.

These informal traders – often carrying a large plastic bowl of goods on their heads, and a baby strapped to their backs – represent the resilience and perseverance of Angolans, who have navigated economic and political uncertainties since the country’s independence in 1975.

Drawing on this reality comes “Zungueira Run”, one of Angola’s top video games with more than 50,000 downloads so far.

Created by a group of young Angolan developers, the game’s success offers a glimpse of a more innovative economic future, says a new UNCTAD study released on 13 September, examining the country’s cultural and creative industries (CCIs).

The study is a key component of the EU-UNCTAD Joint Programme for Angola: Train for Trade II funded by the European Union. It helps Angola diversify its economy and exports towards green and creative sectors and link to regional and global value chains through multisectoral assistance.

The study is also part of UNCTAD’s ongoing support to developing countries to map their creative economies and identify areas for improvement.

“A greater policy focus on innovation and creativity is critical for economic diversification, and hence for sustainable and inclusive growth in developing countries,” says Miho Shirotori, acting director of UNCTAD’s division of international trade and commodities.

Economic diversification gains fresh impetus in Angola

Angola boasts a rich cultural history of film, theatre, publishing and literature.

It also enjoys a bedrock of creative talent, start-ups and emerging innovation ecosystems hungry for opportunity in the CCIs – the most prominent areas being advertising, architecture and computer programming, according to the UNCTAD study.

But at the same time, Angola overly depends on crude oil, which represents 93% of its exports. Low productivity and meagre opportunities in other economic sectors have left a third of the population below the poverty line.

As Angola strives to exit the UN category of least developed countries, there’s a renewed sense of urgency to diversify its economy.

And a key route to this goal is leveraging the creative and cultural industries to help mitigate economic fluctuations attached to oil prices, employ more people in the formal economy, while tackling several structural constraints.

“We aim to promote vibrant CCIs in Angola, provide greater opportunities for entrepreneurs and creators, build on the rich and diverse cultural heritage of our country and strengthen trade relationships with more countries,” says Filipe Silva de Pina Zau, minister of culture and tourism in Angola.

Traditionally, China, the European Union and the United States are Angola’s main trading partners. With the creative economy on the rise, the country hopes to boost economic ties with other economies.

Gaps to bridge

Take gaming again for example. The UNCTAD study shows that on average, between 50 and 60 video games are developed in Angola each year.

But few are registered with Angola’s Institute of Intellectual Property, making it even harder to enforce copyrights and combat a culture of piracy.

Other concerns are related to high production costs, a shortage of skills, internet access quality and affordability, as well as hurdles in making and receiving international digital payments.

Additionally, the study flags the absence of a framework to effectively define and measure these industries, resulting in scattered and incomparable data. Such lack of data on job creation, GDP contribution and gross value-added limits the government’s ability to design effective policies and interventions.

To address this, the study emphasizes the need for improved data collection, measurement, and statistics to unlock the promise of the CCIs.

Ways to unleash the full potential

The study presents a roadmap for Angola to harness the CCIs’ economic power primarily through comprehensive policies, improved data collection and increased investment.

Noting that Angola’s cultural policy is currently fragmented across different ministries, UNCTAD calls for greater collaboration across the government – anchored by the culture and tourism ministry – and more inclusive policymaking.

“Angola needs a more cohesive and coordinated governance structure and classification system for the CCIs,” says Marisa Henderson, head of UNCTAD’s creative economy programme and lead author of the study.

“State intervention along with participation of the private sector and civil society will help Angola unlock the economic potential of the sector.”

Pointing to the CCIs’ struggle to access even microfinance, UNCTAD encourages efforts to offer creative workers access to loans while helping them build creditworthiness.

In addition to traditional private financing, other forms of support, such as tax incentives, social schemes and public funding are essential.

UNCTAD also calls for the empowerment of creative workers and artists through infrastructure development, training and education, as well as promotional campaigns to foster “a strong, saleable brand” nationally and globally for Angola’s cultural and creative industries.

Holistic approach

The EU-UNCTAD joint programme supports Angola to diversify its economy and exports by building productive capacities, operating across seven different economic policy areas simultaneously.

The programme was selected in 2022 as a global success story for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) good practices implementation.

UNCTAD’s holistic approach to development, first piloted in Angola, will feature as one of the 12 High Impact Initiatives on 17 September as part of the UN’s SDG Action Weekend, ahead of the SDG Summit and the high-level segment of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

UNCTAD’s initiative dubbed “Transforming4Trade” will provide political guidance for holistic, multisectoral and multi-year programmes to foster productive capacities and structural economic transformation.

Niger junta cancels 1,000 diplomatic passports from ousted government

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The military rulers of Niger have cancelled more than 990 diplomatic passports held by nationals and foreigners connected to the ousted regime of the deposed President Mohamed Bazoum.

According to the country’s Nigerien Press Agency, the foreign ministry has written to notify diplomatic representations in Niger that the passports are now “lapsed”, according to copies of the letter posted on social networks.

The diplomatic documents were held by former senior figures in institutions and ministries as well as ex-MPs and advisers including the president and prime minister.

In the statement released on Thursday, about 50 of the passports had been given to American, British, French, Libyan and Turkish people as well as other West Africans.

Bazoum was overthrown on July 26 and has since been detained at his residency.

At the end of August, the new regime cancelled passports held by several members of the government who were abroad, including the prime minister, foreign minister and Niger’s ambassador to France

African Presidents, global CEOs converge for GABI in the US

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The Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI), a platform for promoting business, trade, and investment across the continent, at a virtual news conference, unveiled the lineup for its flagship event ‘Unstoppable Africa’ scheduled for Sept. 21-22 in New York.

The two-day event, co-convened by the African Union (AU) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, serves as a pivotal forum for leaders to discuss and strategise the way forward for Africa’s dynamic business landscape.

Mrs Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO, UN Global Compact, said the event was a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in amplifying Africa’s opportunities.

She said the landmark event would take place as Africa’s leaders worked collectively to leverage the continent’s assets, including a young population and abundant natural resources.

Ojiambo said the initiative mirrors Africa’s aspiration to rise above challenges while turning challenges like climate change, energy constraints, water scarcity, and food supply into opportunities.

“GABI aims to catalyse Africa’s key role in the global marketplace, and ‘Unstoppable Africa’ is a powerful affirmation of GABI’s unwavering commitment to redefining Africa’s economic narrative and the world.

“The convening will facilitate solution-driven dialogues, inclusive participation, and enriching conversations and debates, all geared towards accelerating and amplifying Africa to new heights of business growth and economic transformation,” she said.

She revealed that confirmed participants included President Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal; President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of Botswana; Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations, among others.

African Union and presidents welcome G20 membership

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The African Union (AU) has officially joined the G20 at its annual meeting in India in the latest sign of Africa’s growing clout in international forums.

The AU was admitted to the organisation – which includes 19 of the world’s leading economies and the European Union – at its meeting in New Delhi on Saturday.

“We welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 and strongly believe that inclusion of the African Union into the G20 will significantly contribute to addressing the global challenges of our time,” said the summit’s final declaration.

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi – who has for some time supported the AU’s accession to the organisation – embraced current AU chairperson Azali Assoumani, president of the Comoros, after announcing the AU’s admittance.

“Honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 Family. This will strengthen the G20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South,” Modi tweeted.

“The inclusion of @_AfricanUnion in the G20 underscores its pivotal role in global progress. We stand ready to further collaborate and boost our shared aspirations. We will keep working closely for global well-being,” he added.

The G20’s diverse membership – which includes global superpowers the US, China and the EU –  represent around 85% of global GDP, over 75% of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population. Yet the relevance of the bloc has been questioned amid the rise of new multilateral institutions which claim to be more representative of previously marginalised nations.

The meeting of the G20 came just two weeks after the BRICS bloc announced its own enlargement in Johannesburg, South Africa. Six new members –  Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – were admitted to BRICS, which pitches itself as an alternative to Western-led multilateral institutions.

Leaders welcome move 

Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, said that the membership of the G20 would help to amplify the continent’s voice in global affairs.

“I welcome the @_AfricanUnion’s entry into the #G20 as full member. This membership, for which we have long been advocating, will provide a propitious framework for amplifying advocacy in favor of the Continent and its effective contribution to meeting global challenges.”

The accession was also welcomed by African leaders. President William Ruto of Kenya said the membership would “increase the voice of Africa, visibility, and influence on the global stage and provide a platform to advance the common interest of our people”, while President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia said that the invitation “means [Africa] has been recognised as a key player on the world economic landscape”.

“African countries must now leverage this position to accelerate development of their economies & their young populations,” he added.

How can Africa make the most of the membership?

In an opinion article for African Business, Ivory Kairo, a policy analyst at consultancy Development Reimagined, argues that there are several things that the African Union, supported by governments and multilateral institutions, can do to ensure meaningful engagement with the G20.

Pressing issues include establishing who will represent the AU at the G20 finance ministers and central governors’ levels and appointing “Sherpas” to engage in strategic diplomacy, Kairo argues.

“The AU, like the EU, has the apparatus and extremely credible diplomatic and financial prowess to deploy to strategically engage with the G20. It is simply a means of deciding who does what. The African Union Commission and AU Chairperson can start to make these decisions now.”

How Women Face The Tough Fight In Kenyan Politics

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Soon after Judy Kengo was sworn into office last year, the Kenyan legislator faced her first public test when a doctored photo of a lookalike kissing another woman surfaced online.

The aim of the misleading photo, she says, was to force her to quit her position in the county assembly of Kwale, a staunchly conservative region along Kenya’s southern coast.

“You see, here is your leader. What kind of role model is she to our girls?” Kengo, 35, remembers one online user saying after the image began making the rounds.

Kengo’s case is far from isolated. There is growing evidence of women across Africa facing online disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting their ambitions and forcing them out of politics, experts say.

Women in public positions need a “thick skin” to withstand the pressures of online attacks, says Kengo, who refused to be cowed and has since hired bloggers to respond to social media smear campaigns.

“Politics has always been a male-dominated field and for you to penetrate, you have to be very aggressive,” she told AFP.

But it is a difficult balancing act.

“When you are aggressive in the way you are addressing the issues, people will say you are too much or are a loudmouth. This is not the same for our male counterparts.”

 ‘Crude sexualised attacks’

The attacks, which tend to escalate during election season, are strategically orchestrated to silence women, says Kristina Wilfore, co-founder of global non-profit #ShePersisted, which fights gender disinformation and online abuse.

“The sexualised attacks are very crude, and they are definitely meant to undermine the idea that women are qualified,” Wilfore told AFP.

A study conducted in collaboration with #ShePersisted during Kenya’s 2022 national elections found that social media platforms enabled “hateful rhetoric towards women to flourish”, according to Wilfore.

Even when false information has been fact-checked and corrected, “it still leaves the sentiment that women do not belong in certain public spaces”, she added.

The impact is not lost on women lawmakers in Kenya.

“A lot of women fear getting into public spaces, especially public political spaces because of the issues surrounding that space,” opposition MP Millie Odhiambo told AFP.

Kenya has continually failed to meet parliamentary quotas that require at least a third of all seats in the national assembly to be filled by women.

Across the continent, women occupy only 24 percent of some 12,100 parliamentary positions, according to a 2021 study by the pan-African project Women in Political Participation.

 

Kenyan politician and Member of Parliament (MP), Millie Odhiambo, speaks during an interview at her law practice offices in Nairobi on July 13, 2023. – Odhiambo bashed an increasing trend of anonymous virtual attacks to create public disinformation on women politicians in Kenya and some of it’s neighbours in the region, such as alleged leaked recordings of sexual activity, targeted at tarnishing reputations or campaigns by female leaders or aspirants. (Photo by Tony KARUMBA / AFP)

During Rwanda’s 2017 election campaign, alleged nude photos of businesswoman and government critic Diane Rwigara surfaced online days after she announced her candidacy for president.

The only female challenger to Rwanda’s iron-fisted leader Paul Kagame later told CNN the images had been photoshopped to destroy her electoral chances.

She was eventually blocked from running on the grounds that she allegedly forged supporters’ signatures for her application. But a court acquitted her in 2018, calling the charges “baseless”.

In April this year, former Kenyan senator Millicent Omanga faced calls to resign from her post as a junior minister after footage of a purported sex tape surfaced on social media.

An AFP investigation found that at least one of the clips featured an amateur porn actor.

But many online users believed it was Omanga, who has never commented publicly on the video and did not respond to calls from AFP.

Kenyan political analyst Nerima Wako-Ojiwa said the incident was part of a vicious trend which aims to “degrade women”.

“They avoid (political leadership) completely, or they avoid having a digital footprint or engaging online,” she told AFP.

AI

Experts fear new technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) could make the situation worse.

Some 96 percent of deepfake videos online involve non-consensual pornography, and most of them depict women, according to a 2019 study by Dutch AI company Sensity.

The same year, DeepNude, an application that virtually undresses women, was shut down following an uproar over its potential abuse. But similar tools continued to be accessible via encrypted messaging.

As AI technology develops at a rapid pace, experts say social media companies must do more to create a safe digital environment.

The situation is particularly grim in Africa, where platforms take advantage of weak laws and poor enforcement, said Leah Kimathi, founder of the Kenyan non-profit Council for Responsible Social Media.

“Platforms have the primary responsibility to ensure that the online spaces are not used by nefarious characters to perpetuate harm,” Kimathi said.

“Their business models through the algorithms amplify the online disinformation, making it go viral in the service of profit,” she told AFP.

“They also grossly under-invest in platform security and safety in Africa compared to the rest of the world.”

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