A capacity-building workshop on preventing and combating digital violence against girls was held this Thursday, January 22, 2026, in Keur Massar, at the initiative of the Committee for Combating Violence Against Women and Children (CLVF), in partnership with UN Women. This meeting is part of the project "Support for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls: A Perspective on Autonomy."

A rapidly growing phenomenon

With the rise of social networks and digital tools, young girls are increasingly exposed to specific forms of violence: cyberbullying, sexual blackmail, identity theft, non-consensual distribution of intimate images, hate speech, and online sexual exploitation.

In the Keur Massar department, characterized by a high density of young people and increased use of digital technology, these risks are exacerbated by a lack of awareness of rights, the difficulty of reporting and the persistence of discriminatory social norms.

These acts of violence have serious consequences for the mental health, self-esteem, schooling and social integration of young girls and can be a gateway to other forms of gender-based violence (GBV).

Strengthening capacities to better protect ourselves

The overall objective of the workshop is to strengthen the capacity of young girls in Keur Massar to prevent, identify and deal with digital violence in order to promote safe, responsible and autonomous use of digital tools.

Present at the meeting, Yagg Ba, head of the departmental family service of Keur Massar, representing the Ministry of Family and Solidarity, emphasized the importance of this initiative: "The objective of this workshop is to strengthen capacities, but also to better develop support against gender-based violence. All actors are mobilized: the committee to combat gender-based violence, the police, the AMO (Child Welfare Agency), the decentralized family and community development services."

Speaking about the situation of women and children in the department, she stressed the difficulty of obtaining precise figures: "There are many cases, but not all are reported. That is why we are working more on raising awareness to encourage reporting and improve support."

Focus on community action and coordination

For her part, Ndèye Fatou Sarr, president of the CLVF, emphasized the community approach of the project: "The project we are implementing is primarily aimed at community actions. It is up to the community to carry out awareness-raising, care and support activities for victims."

According to her, the rise in denunciations, particularly via social networks and actions by civil society, has made it possible to strengthen listening centers and improve data collection to refine support strategies.

The presence of security forces, social services, justice centers, women's centers and community organizations responds to a major imperative: the coordination of actors.

"It is essential that the victim does not feel alone and that each structure clearly identifies the services it can provide, in order to ensure comprehensive and consistent support," she explained.

Towards a sustainable dynamic of prevention

At the end of this workshop, participants should be better equipped to identify cyber violence, adopt good online safety practices, and understand reporting mechanisms. The establishment of the Keur Massar Girls' Club marks an important step towards a sustainable dynamic of community monitoring, solidarity, and prevention of cyber violence, integrated into local efforts to combat gender-based violence.