At Fort Lugard Hotel in Iganga, the annual Gender-Based Violence and Disability Symposium brought together activists, leaders, and survivors under the theme “Empower Her Digital Space: Local Solutions for Online Safety and Justice for Women and Girls with Disabilities.”
The symposium, organized by the Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA) in the celebration of the 16 days of activism against gender based violence, highlighted the growing threat of online abuse targeting women and girls with disabilities.
IDIWA Chairperson Anna Aparo, while delivering her opening speech, emphasized the urgent need to protect persons with disabilities (PWDs) in digital spaces.
“Our mission remains to promote gender equality and advance the rights, health, and livelihoods of women and girls with disabilities,” she said. “Digital violence is a growing threat that we must address through inclusive policies, safer reporting mechanisms, and digital literacy.”
Aparo noted that as technology evolves, so does the harassment and exploitation of women online. She called for partnerships that empower PWDs with digital safety skills and ensure they are not left behind in Uganda’s fast-changing online world.
The testimonies from participants revealed painful and often shocking realities faced by PWDs on digital platforms.
Brenda Namata, a gender and disability activist, said digital violence had taken on subtle and direct forms, some people mock PWDs using parables, while others use openly insulting language.
“They describe them as obutiko [mushrooms] as if we are objects to be plucked,” she said, condemning the degrading narrative. “Such language causes deep harm.”
A Program Officer at Pollicy, a feminist collective of technologists, data scientists and creatives, Namata also highlighted a growing trend of impersonation, where able-bodied individuals pretend to have disabilities to solicit financial support online.
“We have seen many pretending to be blind or physically impaired so they can get sympathy money,” she said.
She warned that personal aides of PWDs are sometimes part of the problem: “They record videos and photos without consent and later these end up online as abuse.”
For Henry Wasswa from Amref Health Africa, Uganda, the problem goes beyond online harassment, many PWDs cannot even access digital platforms where abuse occurs because they lack both the resources and knowledge.
“A very low percentage of PWDs can access digital tools. Many are not literate, and most cannot afford smartphones or internet data,” he said.
Even in schools where digital education is becoming standard, Wasswa said PWDs remain excluded.
“People assume PWDs cannot use digital tools. That stigma is harming them. If the government does not act, they will be left behind.”
Young disability activist Shamim Wokobera shared deeply personal experiences of online harassment.
“When I joined Twitter, people sent me inappropriate messages, including nudes,” she said. “I had to block many.”
Her sense of privacy was shattered further when a journalist secretly recorded her while asking about her father’s health. The audio was later shared on WhatsApp platforms without her permission.
Shamim, who identifies as a person with dwarfism, also faces constant invasion of privacy in public spaces.
“People take my photos because I ‘surprise’ them,” she said. “When I notice, I confront them and demand they delete the pictures.”
But some incidents go far beyond casual curiosity.
“Many people have filmed us and uploaded the videos on TikTok without consent,” she said. “It hurts deeply.”
In Uganda, cyber violence is addressed under the Computer Misuse Act, 2011, and the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019.
Abdurahman Mujoma, a legal officer at IDIWA, highlighted key concerns, starting with cyber harassment, which involves sending messages that are grossly offensive, indecent, or menacing, an offense clearly defined under the Computer Misuse Act.
He further explained cyberstalking, which includes monitoring or tracking someone’s online activities without their consent, also punishable by law.
Regarding data protection, Mujoma noted that the misuse of personal data such as sharing it without consent is an offense under the Data Protection and Privacy Act. Violations attract penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
Mujoma urged victims of cyber violence to report such cases to the police to ensure that the law is enforced and perpetrators are held accountable.
Esther Adikin, the Grade One Magistrate of Luwero Court, noted that although Uganda has adequate laws governing the digital space, enforcement remains weak.
“We have laws addressing these violations, but they are not effectively implemented. In many cases, victims do not report the incidents, which is why the situation is becoming alarming, especially for marginalized girls and women with disabilities,” Adikin said.
She added that perpetrators often hide behind accounts with unclear or fake identities, using anonymity to harass others without fear of being traced. Adikin called for the empowerment of young girls and women with disabilities, encouraging them to speak out against the online abuses they face.
The symposium ended with a powerful call to action from IDIWA: to unite and end digital violence against all women and girls, particularly those with disabilities who face amplified vulnerability.
“Everyone has a role be it government, families, communities, media, the private sector,” Anna Aparo stressed. “We must build safe digital spaces where women and girls with disabilities are respected, protected, and empowered.”
As Uganda expands its digital footprint, the symposium made one message clear: unless deliberate action is taken, PWDs risk becoming the most marginalized victims of the digital age.
