Project Overview

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) implemented the project “Capacity Building for Women Journalists on Safety and Privacy Online” between September and December 2021, with support from the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) through its Grants for Research and Campaign Support. The project responded to the online safety and privacy risks faced by women journalists, including hacking, harassment, misuse of personal images, privacy violations and the risks associated with accessing digital platforms.

The initiative sought to strengthen the ability of women journalists to use the internet safely, raise awareness of online safety and privacy, and encourage female journalists to participate in advocacy for digital rights and the protection of women online. It combined in-person training, online training and mentorship, a public awareness activity, and step-down training led by the journalists who received the initial capacity building.

The project initially trained 10 selected women journalists from Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa, Gombe and Kaduna States. These participants were expected to apply the knowledge in their professional and personal digital practices and share it with colleagues and wider communities. A participant living with a disability was also included, reflecting the project’s attention to digital inclusion.

Project Objectives and Strategic Focus

The project was guided by three main objectives:

• Build the capacity of targeted women journalists to use the internet safely, including protecting their privacy.
• Raise public awareness about online safety and privacy.
• Initiate female journalists into advocacy and campaigns for digital rights, online safety and privacy for women.

The project also contributed to APC’s strategic outcomes on enabling digital inclusion for vulnerable groups, co-creating a feminist internet, and advocating for human rights online and offline. The inclusion and training of a woman journalist with a disability supported the digital inclusion objective, while the training and subsequent advocacy activities helped build a network of women journalists able to promote safer and more rights-respecting digital spaces.

Major Interventions and Achievements:

In-person training for women journalists

CITAD organised a two-day physical training in Gombe for 10 selected women journalists. The training introduced participants to online safety and privacy, particularly the risks they face when using digital platforms for journalism and communication. Many participants had little or no prior knowledge of the subject, making the training an important starting point for building their capacity.

Online training and mentorship

The in-person training was followed by an online learning and mentorship phase that extended the topics covered during the physical sessions. Participants were introduced to practical digital security tools and techniques, including the use of Signal for secure communications and encryption. Participants were able to continue from the initial training.

Public awareness campaign

CITAD organised a one-day public awareness activity on online safety and privacy. The activity was publicised through social media and provided an opportunity to extend the project’s messages beyond the original group of women journalists. The participation and feedback indicated increased awareness among attendees.

Step-down training and advocacy

The 10 trained journalists cascaded the knowledge to colleagues and other media practitioners through step-down sessions in their respective locations. More than 100 additional journalists were reached through these sessions. The trained journalists were also encouraged to continue advocating for online safety, privacy and digital rights in their states and communities. CITAD reported that 10 women journalists were initiated into continued advocacy on these issues.

Reported Results and Reach

The project recorded the following principal outputs and results:

Changes and Stories of Impact

The project reported changes in participants’ knowledge, attitudes and digital practices. Before the training, almost 90% of participants had little or no knowledge of online safety and privacy. Following the training, a post-training assessment reportedly found that 95% fully understood the topics discussed. Participants also reported taking online security more seriously, strengthening the security of their devices and social media accounts, using encryption for messages and stopping the practice of sharing passwords with other people.

One participant, Maryam Bawa, shared that her website had previously been hacked and that she had considered paying an expert ₦50,000 to recover and secure it. After the training, she gained the knowledge and confidence to undertake the recovery and security steps herself. This example illustrates the practical value of digital safety skills in reducing dependence on external assistance and helping women journalists protect their online work.

The project also reported a case in which a woman who attended a step-down session understood that she could seek legal redress when someone used her personal images to blackmail her. She subsequently took the matter to court. The case served as an evidence of how awareness of privacy and rights online can support individuals to respond to online abuse.

Lessons Learned and Implementation Experience

The project demonstrated the value of combining practical training with mentorship and peer-led knowledge sharing. The 10 initial participants became multipliers, extending the reach of the intervention to more than 100 other journalists. The project also showed that online safety training can produce practical changes when participants learn how to apply security tools to their own devices, accounts and communications.

• Women journalists need practical, context-specific training to respond to online harassment, privacy violations, hacking and misuse of personal information.
• Step-down training by trained journalists can extend the reach of a relatively small initial cohort.
• Poor internet connectivity can limit the effectiveness of online training and mentorship, particularly when complex technical topics are being taught.
• Physical training requires sufficient time for participants to understand and practise digital safety tools; the report recommends extending the in-person component to at least four days.
• Administrative delays affected the original implementation timeline, highlighting the importance of timely project preparation and coordination.

Sustainability and Continuing Value

CITAD continue providing online and offline capacity-building opportunities for journalists on digital safety and privacy. It also maintain engagement with the 10 trained journalists and the wider group reached through step-down training so they could continue sharing information and advocating for the protection of digital rights.

Conclusion

Through the APC-supported project, CITAD strengthened the capacity of women journalists to protect themselves online, increased awareness of digital safety and privacy, and supported the emergence of women journalists as advocates for digital rights. The combination of in-person training, online mentorship, public awareness and step-down sessions enabled the project to reach beyond its initial group of 10 participants. Reported changes in security practices, confidence and awareness of legal rights demonstrate the importance of equipping women journalists with practical skills to navigate digital spaces safely and participate in advocacy for a more inclusive and rights-respecting internet.