A Growing Movement in the Hill Tracts Against Digital Gender-Based Violence

For many women and girls, violence can seep through something as small as a phone screen. An unwanted text, a fake image or unhinged words.  It follows them onto their phones, into their social media feeds, and into the private digital spaces where they hoped to feel safe. This year’s 16 Days of Activism focuses on digital violence. A growing form of harm that shapes how women learn, work, and express themselves online.

Across the world, online abuse has become one of the fastest-rising forms of gender-based violence. UN studies show that women, especially young women, face far higher levels of harassment, threats, and non-consensual image sharing than men. WHO reminds us that one in three women will experience some form of violence in their lifetime. A 2023 UN study found that women, particularly young women and activists, are 27 times more likely to be harassed online than men. Today, many of those experiences are happening behind screens, often hidden from family and community support.

In Bangladesh, digital violence has taken on new urgency as more young people connect to the internet. Girls are often the first to feel the risks—fake accounts, threatening messages, pressure for photos, and the fear of being shamed online. In remote areas, these fears are even sharper. The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has seen a quiet rise in online harassment, especially among indigenous girls who have limited access to digital literacy and fewer places to seek help.

One teacher in Rangamati explained it simply, “Our girls are excited to use phones. But they don’t always feel safe. They know the danger, even when they cannot name it.”

To respond to this growing concern, the Ecosystems Restoration Resilient Development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (ERRD-CHT) Project, with support from Global Affairs Canada and the European Union, launched the 16 Days of Activism campaign across the region. It aims to raise awareness about both digital and traditional gender-based violence, teach young people how to stay safe online, and bring communities together to support women and girls.

Since 25 November 2025, the campaign has reached 3,959 people. This includes 2,672 women and girls and 1,287 men and boys, showing strong engagement from both groups. Students from 24 schools and colleges joined rallies, art competitions, debates, and digital safety sessions. Community members and traditional leaders gathered to discuss how online behaviour affects real lives. Many heard the term “digital violence” for the first time.

During a poster-writing session in Khagrachhari, a college student said, “I thought harassment only meant someone touching you. Now I understand that a message can hurt too.”

Others shared stories they had kept quiet for years. A young Marma girl whispered after a session, “I was scared to talk about what happened to me online. Today I learned it was not my fault.”

Men and boys also took part, discussing their roles in creating safer spaces. A father in Bandarban reflected, “We must guide our sons. What they say online matters. It can protect a girl or break her confidence.”

Reproductive Health Care Workers are also helping extend the campaign’s reach by sharing key messages with students and Mothers Club members in schools and colleges. Local police officers are visiting selected schools to talk directly with young people about the 16 Days of Activism, available support services, and how victim support centres operate.

Across six upazilas, Local Volunteer Mediators Forums and youth groups are hosting events to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, bringing together teachers, education officers, students, mothers’ groups, and RHCWs to strengthen community awareness and collective action.

Through simple materials, participatory learning, and strong collaboration with local authorities, the campaign is helping communities recognise digital harm and stand against it.

The message from CHT is safety must include the digital world. When women and girls feel safe online, they can study, lead, and dream without fear. Ending digital violence is not only a campaign. It is a promise of dignity and a step toward equality for everyone.

I was scared to talk about what happened to me online. Today I learned it was not my fault.