By Cherie Oyier
Technology‑Facilitated Gender‑Based Violence (TFGBV) is rising sharply, with 39% of Kenyan university students reporting experiences of harassment, cyberstalking, non‑consensual image sharing, and digital extortion. Lawyers and journalists are often underprepared to respond, leaving survivors vulnerable to silence and injustice.
Methodology and Scope
The study employed a mixed‑methods design, targeting 20 public and private Kenyan universities. Data collection included:
- Student questionnaires
- Key informant interviews with academia, media practitioners, and legal professionals
- Document reviews of curricula and university policies
A Curriculum Audit Tool was applied to assess TFGBV integration in terms of presence, breadth, assessment alignment, and learning outcomes.
What the Study Found
A new report auditing Law and Journalism curricula across 20 Kenyan universities reveals:
- Low integration: Law schools scored 4/20 on TFGBV content; journalism programs averaged 4.
- No mandatory courses: None of the universities offered a dedicated TFGBV course.
- Unprepared graduates: 51.9% of students felt unready to address TFGBV professionally.
- Distrust in systems: 85.3% of students lacked confidence in university reporting mechanisms.
Without proper training, future lawyers and journalists cannot effectively investigate, litigate, or report on TFGBV. This gap perpetuates underreporting, re‑victimisation, and weak accountability in both academic and digital spaces.
“This study is not merely diagnostic, but instead it is a call to action. It demonstrates that the integration of TFGBV into the curricular and extracurricular dimensions of higher education is essential to safeguarding students and preparing professionals to confront digital harms.”
Recommendations
The report calls for a multi‑stakeholder response:
- Universities must integrate mandatory TFGBV courses and reform GBV policies.
- The Commission for University Education should enforce TFGBV competencies in accreditation.
- Professional bodies must provide ongoing training and resources.
- Government and tech platforms should strengthen laws, evidence protocols, and content moderation.
- Students should be empowered as digital safety ambassadors, leveraging movements like #CampusMeToo.
Conclusion
Kenyan universities must move beyond compliance to build practice‑ready graduates equipped to confront TFGBV. This is not just an academic issue, it is a human rights imperative.
Read the full publication: Exploring TFGBV Integration in Journalism & Law School Curricula: A Kenyan Perspective