CITAD Advocates Agreed Definition Of Hate Speech To Check Political Abuse

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has advocated the nationally agreed definition of hate speech to avoid ambiguity or misinterpretation or political abuse of the term.

It said the Government should be sensitive and concerned about gender hate speech and deploy punishable mechanisms against perpetrators of gender hate speech

The organization stated this at a two-day training for monitors of Hate Speech and Violence Against Women Online in Nigerian cyberspace.

It said Hate speech and violence against women online are gradually becoming threats, especially to Nigeria’s diversity. Nigeria being a multi-ethnic and religious country stands vulnerable in the midst of the two cyberspace monsters.’

The communique said other disturbing experiences hinder women and girls’ usage of social media platforms.

This was contained in a communique jointly signed by Hamza Ibrahim of Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) and seven others at the end of the training on Friday.

‘’The monitors training is part of the project CITAD is implementing with support from National Democratic Institute (NDI) on addressing gender hate speech and violence against women online. twenty (23) young social media activists comprising male and female from different religious, tribal and regional backgrounds were trained on hate speech, monitoring and countering, hate speech identification, classification, dangers, etc as well as violence against women online.  Gender hate speech and campaign against and violence against women online were thoroughly discussed, ‘’said the communique.

It said the federal government should have a functional agency with skilled personnel to embark on continuous sensitization of Nigerians on hate speech and violence against women online.

The communique noted that perpetrators of hate speech and violence against women should be punished and the punishment be publicized.

’’Our educational curriculum should incorporate lessons on hate speech and violence against women right from primary schools. Religious and traditional leaders should collaborate with civil society organizations and sensitize Nigerians on gender-based violence and hate speech.’’

‘’Newspapers should monitor comments/posts/ on hate speech and gender-based violence on their websites/social media platforms to ensure hate speech and gender-based violence do not thrive.’’

Media organizations should enlighten the public on the dangers of hate speech and gender-based violence.