THE Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) says there is need for more robust policies and interventions to end cyber-bullying that is affecting mainly female politicians.
Speaking to NewsDay, Misa advocacy officer Malvern Mkudu, said the Cyber and Data Protection Act was inadequate to fight cyber-bullying.
“There is need for more policy formulation, one of the things we have realised is that the Cyber and Data Protection Act even though it’s there, there are still issues of capacity from the enforcers in terms of the police and even the Judiciary whether they understand digital rights or not,” Mkudu said on the sidelines of a cyberbullying sensitisation workshop organised by Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ).
Mkudu also said awareness campaigns were needed for people to know more about the Act.
The Act has provisions that deal with cyber-bullying
“We have noted in the past elections that women were victims of cyber-bullying, harassed as a way of silencing (them) but we have a law that they can rely on to claim their rights,” he said.
“There are other tools to fight online violence. Report the perpetrator to the social media company for example, Facebook or X. Online attacks are triggering an unwarranted and unnecessary form of self-censorship among women.”
WCoZ vice-chairperson and research and advocacy unit director Madrine Chiku urged women, especially female politicians to fight cyber-bullying.
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One of the participants, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Ruwa councillor Siphakamile Mhlanga, said she was a victim of cyber-bullying.
“During election campaigns a lot of negative things are said about women participating in politics. The intent of these attacks is mainly to degrade or make the woman stop participating in politics,” she said.
“My husband and I were contesting in the 2023 elections. They saw us as one and yet we are two separate people. I was verbally abused in WhatsApp groups but because I was determined to represent my ward, I was not deterred and today I am a councillor.”
