Rethinking Protection in the Digital Age at the National Symposium for TFGBV.

There are moments when a conversation shifts from being important…to being urgent.

On March 26, 2026, in Dar-es-Salaam, 128 participants from government, civil society, development partners, academia, and the private sector came together for one reason and one reason only.

To confront a growing reality, that for many women and girls, the digital space is no longer just a place of opportunity. It is also a place of harm. A message, a photo shared without consent or a threat sent quietly, can be felt deeply. And we know that what happens online does not stay online.

This did not emerge in isolation.

It builds on a growing body of work led by C-Sema, in close and ongoing partnership with UNFPA, to understand, surface, and respond to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) in Tanzania. From national mapping efforts to strengthening response systems such as the 116 National Child Helpline, this collaboration reflects a shared, long-term commitment to making digital spaces safer for women and children.

The symposium was, in many ways, a continuation of that work, bringing together actors across sectors to align, reflect, and move forward together.

First, we started by sitting with what we know.

Nearly six in ten young women in Tanzania have experienced online harassment. Many have faced threats or non-consensual sharing of their images. Some have responded not by speaking out, but by stepping back. Logging off. Withdrawing. Making themselves smaller in spaces that were meant to expand them.

And so, the question before us now becomes: What does it mean to create a digital space that is truly safe?

From the opening remarks, there was a shared understanding that access alone is not enough.

As UNFPA Deputy Representative Melissa McNeil Barrett reminded us,

“Technology should serve as a tool for empowerment rather than a platform for harm.”

Melissa McNeil Barret, UNFPA Deputy Representative.

But for that to be true, safety must be built into how we design, regulate, and use these spaces.

This was echoed by Finland’s Ambassador, H.E. Theresa Zitting, who emphasized the urgency of collective action:

“It is important to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence in all work against gender-based violence… to ensure online spaces are safe and inclusive for women and girls.”

H.E. Theresa Zitting, Ambassador to Finland.

Because the reality is, digital spaces are now part of everyday life. And safety cannot be optional.

As discussions deepened, the complexity of the issue became impossible to ignore. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence does not sit neatly in one space. It moves between online and offline worlds. It is shaped by culture, access, power, and often, silence.

The Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Elders and Children (Zanzibar), Ms. Abeida Rashid Abdallah, brought this into sharp focus through a simple but powerful reminder:

''These forms of violence are not distant, they are happening in homes, in relationships, in everyday life. And they carry real consequences for health, dignity, and opportunity.''

Ms. Abeida Rashid Abdallah, Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Elders and Children (Zanzibar).

She emphasized the need for stronger coordination, innovation, and shared responsibility in ensuring that digital spaces are not only accessible, but safe, especially for women, young people, and marginalized groups.

We also turned to evidence.

Through the national mapping on TFGBV, Advocate Clarence Kipobota highlighted both progress and gaps. Tanzania has laws, policies, and institutions in place, but many were designed for offline realities. And so, challenges remain.

In defining TFGBV clearly in law. In collecting and connecting data. In building the capacity to investigate and respond to digital harm. As one reflection during the symposium noted, systems are in place, but they are not yet fully aligned with the speed and complexity of the digital world.

But what stood out most was not just the challenges. It was the shared recognition that no single sector can solve this alone. From government institutions to tech actors, from legal professionals to community leaders each has a role to play.

As highlighted during the discussions with private sector partners, including Mr. Amouneu Lopy from Nokia, addressing TFGBV requires more than awareness. It requires investment, innovation, and active responsibility from those shaping digital spaces.

Because safety is not created in isolation. It is built collectively.

Again and again, we returned to one idea: Safety is not created through policy alone. It is created through people.

Through how we design systems. How we respond to harm. How we tell stories. And how we support those most affected.

And in that reflection, another layer emerged.

That the work of addressing violence, especially one that is evolving, often hidden, and personal, requires people who are supported to do it well. Practitioners, responders. and advocates. People who are holding difficult stories, navigating complex systems, and pushing for change.

As the symposium came to a close, we understood that the way forward is not just to continue the conversation, but to act.

So, what does this mean for us beyond this symposium?

It means that this is not a one-off conversation. It is part of a growing national effort, one that C-Sema, together with UNFPA and partners, is actively shaping, to ensure that prevention, protection, and response mechanisms evolve alongside technology.

As C-Sema CEO Michael Marwa reminded us in his closing remarks,

''The goal is not only to understand the problem, but to move forward together: strengthening research, policy, and collaboration, while ensuring that responses remain survivor-centered and grounded in reality. Because this is not a challenge that can be addressed in parts. It requires a coordinated, collective movement.''

Mr. Michael Marwa C-Sema's Chief Executive.

We now know what is at stake and understand that as digital spaces continue to grow, safety must grow with them.

For, if we are to build digital spaces that are truly safe, inclusive, and empowering, then this moment calls for partnerships. And look no further as C-SEMA plans to organize and host the first ever Tanzania National Online Safety Summit in November 2026.

And for all Institutions, partners and collaborators ready to align their work with national efforts on digital safety and invest in strengthening systems as well as build solutions that are evidence-based, survivor-centered, and sustainable. We welcome you.

This story was prepared by C-Sema's Communication Team.