As internet access increases across Africa, it is giving our citizens new development opportunities and freedom of expression. But there's a dark side to this transformation. Trolling, hacking, spamming and online harassment are wreaking havoc on the psyches of our women and girls, effectively silencing us.
The Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka says online violence has subverted the original positive promise of the Internet's freedoms and in too many circumstances has made it 'a chilling space that permits anonymous cruelty and facilitates harmful acts towards women and girls.
I know exactly what she's talking about.