South Africa: Young Voices Take the Lead in Tackling Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence

A Change at Community Level

In South Africa, a quiet revolution is taking place in the digital space. Young people are stepping forward to challenge tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), a growing form of abuse that disproportionately affects girls and LGBTQI+ youth online. At the heart of this movement is GRIT – Gender Rights In Tech, an organisation committed to creating safer digital environments through youth-led research and advocacy.

Background: The Digital Divide and Rising Harm

The rise of social media and online platforms has opened new avenues for connection, but it has also created spaces where violence thrives unchecked. For many young people, particularly in communities where violence is normalised, digital harm is poorly understood and rarely addressed. GRIT recognised this gap and launched a bold initiative: equip youth with the tools to identify, prevent, and respond to TFGBV.

The programme began in Cape Town with a pilot that recruited 15 youth researchers from diverse backgrounds. These young leaders were trained in digital literacy, ethical research, data collection, and storytelling. They were not passive participants—they became active agents of change, shaping solutions for safer online spaces.

One of the project’s co-facilitators, Zanele Sokatsha, reflects on the journey:
“It’s been really meaningful to see this project grow, from the early planning stages to the pilot in Cape Town, and now as we expand into Johannesburg. Working with such a diverse group of youth researchers has been a highlight. They each brought insights from their own backgrounds, and it was beautiful to watch them learn from one another.”

The Change: From Silence to Advocacy

The transformation has been profound. Young people who once had little awareness of TFGBV are now speaking publicly about online violence, sharing experiences, and engaging peers through informal education. Through training and mentorship, they have gained confidence to articulate the dynamics of digital harm and position themselves as advocates for change.

This shift is not only personal.Iit is structural. Educators from participating schools are actively supporting youth-led research and safety strategies, signalling the start of broader institutional engagement. Community perceptions of youth leadership are evolving too. By training young people as researchers, GRIT is challenging the narrative of youth as passive recipients of protection and instead positioning them as agents of digital justice.

As Zanele notes:

“What’s stood out most for me is how their advocacy voices have grown. They’ve gained the confidence to name and research deeper into social issues that are often normalised around them and speak openly about how these affect them and the people they care about.”

 How Did This Change Come About?

GRIT’s approach is intentional and youth-centred. Key activities include:

• Recruiting and training 15 youth researchers in Cape Town.
• Delivering an eight-month programme of participatory workshops on TFGBV, digital rights, and ethical research.
• Facilitating mentorship from youth leaders like Zanele to support peer learning.
• Co-creating ethical datasets that inform GRIT’s AI chatbot, Zuzi, designed to provide digital safety support.
• Launching a scale-up phase in Johannesburg, with Cape Town graduates advising the new cohort.

This structured yet flexible model ensures that young people are not only trained but meaningfully engaged as designers, researchers, and advocates.

Evidence of Change

Although the project is at its midpoint, the signs of impact are clear:

• Youth researchers have completed projects using ethical frameworks and data analysis.
• Surveys created by youth were disseminated in schools and online, informing research topics.
• Educators are actively involved in recruitment and workshop participation.
• Reflections show visible growth in confidence, digital safety awareness, and advocacy skills.

By: Shamryn