During the National Summit of Human Rights Defenders organized by the Mozambique Human Rights Defenders Network (RMDDH) in Maputo, Dr. Valuarda Gabriela Monjane, a gender and human rights specialist, delivered a powerful reflection on the specific risks faced by women human rights defenders. Her intervention highlighted the intersection between gender-based violence and digital repression, emphasizing that the defense of human rights now takes place simultaneously in two arenas: the physical and the digital. She warned that online violence targeting women defenders is often deeply misogynistic, aimed not only at challenging their ideas but also at undermining their legitimacy as political actors. The systematic use of social media for defamation, intimidation, and threats — frequently through fake accounts and coordinated attacks — contributes to the creation of fear, isolation, and self-censorship. The intervention also underscored that the normalization of such practices weakens institutional and community protection mechanisms, reinforcing the need to recognize digital security as a critical component of protecting women human rights defenders.
