Continues To Shape Its Safety Efforts
As part of its ongoing commitment to safety and inclusivity,TikTok, in partnership with the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) is convening a series of Women in Media Safety Roundtables across Sub-Saharan Africa. These roundtables aim to deepen collective understanding and drive collaborative action on tech- facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), particularly impacting women in the mediaindustry.
The roundtables bring together journalists, digital safety experts, civil society, regulators, and online creators to foster a multi-stakeholder approach that supports women's voices in media while building safer online communities. "Addressing issues such as tech-facilitated gender-based violence requires more than just policies; it demands deep listening, data-driven insights, and collaboration across sectors.
Through these workshops, we're bringing together the lived experiences of women in media with research-backed strategies to co-create safer digital environments. We are pleased to
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partner with TikTok in this important initiative that places community voices and local context at the center of online safety," Said Kim Thipe, Executive Director, Centre for Analytics & Behavioural Change (CABC).
"Our data insights leverage input from local stakeholders dealing with harmful content in Kenya on a daily basis to help categorize and moderate further instances of gender-related hate speech on the platform" Says Kyle Janse, Research Lead at Centre for Analytics &
Behavioural Change (CABC).
Listening to and Learning from the communityAs the digital landscape evolves, women and vulnerable communities continue to face unique online threats that can limit their expression and participation. TikTok is committed to learning from those on the frontlines, including local journalists 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, Sub-Saharan Africa.
"As we learn more, we do more," added Mkhize. "We value the participation of the Kenyan media industry in helping us create a safe and creative platform; not just for content creators,
but for all users."
Innovating for Safety and Empowerment
The roundtables are not just conversations, they are opportunities 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.
By opening this dialogue, TikTok continues to strengthen its safety efforts in Kenya and more broadly, Sub-Saharan Africa, while raising awareness of its already existing tools and resources on the platform. Most importantly, the conversations are 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 for its proactive engagement with media professionals through the Safety Roundtables. Addressing tech-facilitated gender-based violence demands a united, cross-sectoral approach and we welcome TikTok's commitment to working collaboratively with government, civil society, and the media to create safer digital environments," Said Zubeida Kananu, President of the Kenya Editors' Guild.
"Empowering women to participate fully and safely in media is not merely a digital challenge, it is a democratic imperative. I am pleased that both the Kenya Editors' Guild and the Association of Women in Media were part of this critical conversation, ensuring that the voices
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of women in media are not only represented, but amplified in efforts to address the challenges women face online ,"She added.
A Step Forward for a Safer Digital Space
The Women in Media 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," Concluded Mkhize.
