As part of its commitment to digital safety and inclusivity, TikTok, in partnership with the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), held a Women Safety Roundtable focused on the goal of deepening collective understanding and driving collaborative action on tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), particularly impacting women in Ethiopian public life.

The roundtable brought together journalists, digital safety experts, civil society, activists, development partners, United Nations agencies, and online creators to foster a multi-stakeholder approach that supports women’s voices while building safer online communities.

“Addressing online harms, including TFGBV, requires more than policies. It demands deep local understanding, data-driven insights, and collaboration across sectors. Building on UKFunded CIR research, these workshops focused on the lived experience of women in Ethiopian public life, from journalists and politicians to activists and influencers. We are pleased to partner with TikTok in developing research-backed strategies to co-create safer digital spaces, ensuring community voices are at the heart of online safety,” said Nadine Naguib, Director at CIR.

Listening to, and learning from, the community as the digital landscape evolves, women and vulnerable communities continue to face unique online threats that can limit their expression and participation, according a press release issued by TikTok.

TikTok expressed commitment to learning from those on the frontlines, including local researchers, activists, civil society, and media practitioners, in order to evolve its safety tools, policies, and enforcement strategies.

“At TikTok, we believe that to truly understand our local community, we must first understand their world. We recognise the diversity of our global community and the importance of understanding what helps them feel safe, so that they are empowered to have their best experience,” said Duduzile Mkhize, TikTok Outreach & Partnerships Manager, SubSaharan Africa.

"As we learn more, we do more,” added Mkhize. “We value the participation of the Ethiopian media industry in helping us create a safe and creative platform; not just for content creators, but for all users.” She added.

Innovating for Safety and Empowerment The roundtable is not just a conversation; it is an opportunity to reshape digital spaces into safer, more inclusive environments.

TikTok is bringing together people who are on the frontlines of tackling gender-based violence - civil society organisations, community leaders, journalists, and survivors themselves -to ensure that interventions are rooted in lived realities, the press release added.

By opening this dialogue, it stated that TikTok continues to strengthen its safety efforts in Ethiopia and more broadly, Sub-Saharan Africa, while raising awareness of its already existing tools and resources on the platform. Most importantly, the conversation is about building trust and partnerships that last, empowering women and marginalised communities to speak freely, participate fully, and thrive online without fear.

"We commend TikTok’s proactive engagement with professionals in the media space through these Safety Roundtables. Tackling tech-facilitated gender-based violence requires a united front, and we welcome TikTok’s commitment to working alongside the media industry to build safer digital spaces. Empowering women to participate fully and safely in media is not just a digital issue, it is a democratic imperative.” said Desere Nigatu, Executive Director, Editors’ Guild of Ethiopia.

A Step Forward for a Safer Digital Space The Women Safety Roundtables represent a tangible step in TikTok’s broader mission to foster a safer, more inclusive environment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Through open dialogue, shared insights, and actionable solutions, TikTok is reaffirming its commitment to building a platform that uplifts and protects its diverse communities.

“At TikTok, safety is at the heart of everything we do. These roundtables are about listening to people with lived experiences, learning from local communities, and building solutions together. Because creating safe spaces online isn’t just about technology, it’s about humanity.”

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