Tendai Keith Guvamombe
As the world marks the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), the Election Resource Centre (ERC Africa) is sounding the alarm on a critical, yet often unaddressed, issue: politically motivated electoral violence against women.
This violence, both online and offline, is severely undermining women’s participation and leadership in democratic processes across Southern Africa.
The global theme for 2025—“Unite to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls”—is particularly relevant in the electoral space. ERC Africa highlights the alarming rate at which social media and Generative AI are being weaponised to target female candidates and politicians.
The absence of effective legal recourse means women are forced into self-censorship, negatively impacting their ability to fully engage in the public sphere. Existing mechanisms are proving too weak to offer meaningful protection and accountability for survivors of online GBV.
Persistent Violence Undermines Democracy
Beyond digital threats, elections in the region are still marred by violent and intimidatory practices primarily directed at women. While progressive steps have been taken by institutions like the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the Commission for Gender Equality in South Africa to document this violence, their vital recommendations often gather dust without concrete follow-up actions.
This inaction ensures the political playing field remains heavily skewed against women.
ERC Africa is calling for a robust, multi-stakeholder response to prevent, rather than just respond to, this crisis:
* Electoral Commissions must immediately adopt policies and regulations to govern AI and social media use, specifically to mitigate their use as tools to amplify GBV.
* Political Parties need to implement internal reforms that actively safeguard women from intimidation during primaries and candidate selection.
* Civil Society must scale up voter education and establish safe reporting mechanisms for election-related GBV.
* Law Enforcement and Justice Institutions are urged to fully investigate, prosecute, and sanction all perpetrators of political violence against women.
Violence in elections is not only an assault on individual rights but a direct attack on democratic principles. ERC Africa reaffirms its commitment to championing safe and equitable political spaces where women can fully participate and lead without fear.
