On the 07th October 2025, the Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria convened a roundtable on “Cybersecurity and the Digital Rights of Marginalised Groups in Africa: Towards an Inclusive Human Rights Agenda” as part of its contribution to Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The discussion reaffirmed the need to view cybersecurity not merely as a technical concern but as a fundamental human rights issue. The roundtable formed part of the Centre’s broader efforts to promote digital rights, inclusion and cybersecurity through a human-rights lens.
The event commenced with opening remarks by the director of CHR, Professor Durojaye, who underscored the critical role of cybersecurity in safeguarding the digital dignity and rights of vulnerable communities. He noted that as digital spaces become increasingly entrenched in African social, political and economic life, the protection of marginalised individuals, particularly children, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI+ individuals, migrants and rural communities, must be prioritised in policy, advocacy and research. He emphasised that cybersecurity frameworks across the continent should be grounded in human rights principles of inclusion and participation.
Belinda Matore and Tendai Mbanje then framed the discussion by situating cybersecurity within broader debates on digital inequality, systemic exclusion and the uneven distribution of online harms. They highlighted that cybersecurity is often viewed primarily through the lens of state or infrastructure security, which obscures the lived realities of vulnerable groups who face distinct online harms.
The first session focused on children’s rights and cybersecurity., Belinda discussed key issues around privacy, consent, exploitation and harmful content affecting children online. Drawing on instruments such as General Comment No. 25 on children’s rights in the digital environment and the Malabo Convention, she highlighted the importance of embedding protective, participatory and child-responsive approaches into cybersecurity governance. She emphasised that children’s digital participation should not compromise their privacy or safety and called for stronger safeguards against surveillance, grooming and algorithmic targeting.
A gendered analysis followed, led by Sheryl Kunaka, who delivered a compelling presentation on women, cybersecurity and online violence. Drawing from her work on non-consensual dissemination of intimate images (NCDII) and broader forms of online gender-based violence (OGBV), she noted that women disproportionately face image-based abuse, cyberstalking, sextortion, doxing and gendered hate speech, particularly as digital platforms expand. She argued that problematic societal narratives often frame women as responsible for their victimisation, reinforcing stigma and discouraging reporting. Sheryl critiqued harmful terminology such as “revenge porn,” which implies justification or retaliation and argued instead for the use of consent-based legal definitions.. She discussed African legal developments, praising
She commended Zimbabwe’s approach of criminalising the transmission of intimate images without reference to motive and highlighted Kenya’s progressive stance for not requiring proof of intent to harm. She called for gender-sensitive cybersecurity frameworks that shift the focus from victims to perpetrators and urged alignment with regional instruments such as the Maputo Protocol, interpreted to address digital forms of gender-based violence.
Mansah Amoah then reflected on intersectionality and cyber harms, focusing on the compounded vulnerabilities experienced by LGBTQI+ youth, migrants and individuals from rural or low-income contexts. She explained that these groups often face structural exclusion, lower digital literacy and heightened exposure to targeted harassment, disinformation, surveillance and exclusion. Mansah emphasised that identity-based harms are amplified in online spaces, through anonymity and algorithmic amplification which intensify hate speech and harassment. She argued that cybersecurity must be inclusive, community-informed and grounded in principles of equity and justice, recognising that marginalisation and vulnerability shape risk exposure and access to redress.
Although the scheduled sessions on disability inclusion and rights-based cybersecurity frameworks could not proceed due to speaker unavailability, the discussions that took place were deeply reflective and grounded in critical human rights perspectives. The speakers and participants collectively called for an intersectional approach to cybersecurity in Africa that considers structural inequality, gendered harms, age-specific risks, identity-based exclusion and the need for participatory governance in digital spaces. The absence of some segments further highlighted the need for sustained dialogue and greater investment in disability inclusion and driven by advocacy cybersecurity frameworks.
The session concluded with remarks by the assistant director, Professor Nkatha Murungi, who commended the speakers for their contributions and for sustaining meaningful conversation despite gaps in attendance. She reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to advancing inclusive and participatory cybersecurity governance that is grounded in international human rights standards. She emphasised the importance of continued engagement, capacity development and scholarly contribution towards shaping a cybersecurity agenda that leaves no one behind.
In closing the month’s wider recognition of cybersecurity as a global priority, the roundtable reinforced the urgent need for rights-based approaches in policy development and implementation. The event concluded with a call for sustained collaborative efforts to develop transformative and inclusive cybersecurity policies that protect, empower and uplift marginalised communities across Africa.