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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
As Nigeria joins the global Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a powerful call for a tech-driven transformation of the justice system has been advocated.
Delivering a keynote lecture titled “The Use of Technology in Combating Violence Against Women: Opportunities for Female Lawyers in Nigeria,” Dr. Jennifer Heaven Mike urged female legal practitioners to embrace digital innovation as an essential tool, not a luxury, in the fight against violence targeting women.
Speaking to the Nigerian Bar Association Women’s Forum (NBAWF), Osun State branch, Dr Mike warned that traditional reporting and justice systems, long hampered by stigma, distance, cost and administrative bottlenecks, simply cannot meet the scale and urgency of gender-based violence in Nigeria.
“Technology gives us anonymity. It gives us reach. It gives us speed. And most importantly, it gives survivors a fighting chance,” she said.
Drawing from the success stories around the world, Dr. Mike highlighted how digital tools have revolutionized gender-based violence reporting, such as, “India’s Eye Watch SOS, a one-touch GPS alert system for rapid emergency response, Kenya’s Usalama, which enables anonymous SMS-based reporting—crucial for women without smartphones, as well as Pakistan’s Violence Against Women Centres, which processes digital case files and secure evidence to strengthen prosecution outcomes”.
She encouraged Nigerian female lawyers to collaborate with app developers, push for integration with police systems, and offer secure online legal consultations, the steps she said could “rebuild trust” and make justice more accessible.
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Dr Mike noted that virtual legal services have already transformed lives globally such as, “South Africa’s Women’s Legal Centre, which uses WhatsApp and video consultations to reach remote communities.
“Australia’s 1800RESPECT, combining AI chat support with human counselors for trauma-sensitive assistance. Bangladesh’s Legal Aid Helpline, which has resolved most of its 100,000+ cases through low-cost tech channels”.
Nigerian lawyers, she said, can adopt similar innovations through digital signatures, virtual law offices, encrypted client portals, and cloud-based case management systems.
Referencing global movements such as #MeToo, #NiUnaMenos, and HarassMap, Dr. Mike underscored the power of social media in exposing systemic failures and driving legislative change.
She urged Nigerian lawyers to create engaging, rights-focused online content, Crowdfund and crowdsource data on abuse patterns, lead coordinated digital campaigns for reforms.
Dr Mike is a distinguished lawyer, researcher, and advocate known for her work on reproductive autonomy, health rights, and transnational feminism.
She serves as the Hampton and Esther Boswell Distinguished University Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at DePauw University, Indiana, USA.
