BANGLADESH HOSTS NATIONAL DIALOGUE TO END DIGITAL VIOLENCE AS PART OF GLOBAL 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM

Dhaka, 25 November 2025 : The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the Local Consultative Group on Women’s Advancement and Gender Equality, and the United Nations formally inaugurated the 2025 global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence with a strong national call to “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls” at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka.

Building on UN Women’s global call to action launched on 18 November, the national dialogue convened senior government officials, UN agencies, diplomatic missions, civil society leaders, youth advocates, and technology stakeholders to address the urgent challenge of technology-facilitated violence.

Chief Guest Ms Sharmeen S. Murshid, Adviser to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, underscored the gravity of the issue, “Before, a girl couldn’t go out on the street without thinking of eve teasing; now you cannot enter your cyber space without being stalked. And the stalking world has become huge. It’s not just a boy from a neighbourhood—it’s anybody anywhere in the world who can hunt your dignity. Technology has to move its way, but it’s our own attitude that will determine its course. So the 16 Days of Activism is just a reminder and perhaps a concerted effort that we need to make every single day of our lives.”

Ms Mamtaz Ahmed, NDC, Senior Secretary of MoWCA, emphasized the need for stronger laws, coordinated institutional responses, and public awareness, while international partners reiterated that digital violence is a global reality requiring united action.

According to World Bank data, fewer than 40 percent of countries have laws protecting women from cyber harassment or cyberstalking, leaving 44 percent of the world’s women and girls—1.8 billion—without legal protection. From online harassment and cyberstalking to deepfakes and gendered disinformation, digital abuse is silencing voices and undermining women’s rights across borders.

H.E. Susan Ryle, High Commissioner of Australia, called for united action across sectors to ensure technology becomes a tool for empowerment rather than harm. “It’s not just a women’s issue, it’s an issue for all of us. So let us stand together—governments, organizations, champions and women—to build a world where technology inspires, sport inspires, and partnerships deliver safety and equality for every woman and girl.”

H.E. Nicolas Weeks, Ambassador of Sweden, stressed the importance of enforcement, “Proper implementation of existing laws is needed to enable access to justice for victims of gender-based violence. It also signals to perpetrators that these crimes will not go unpunished. The enactment of a Sexual Harassment Prevention and Protection Ordinance is crucial for ensuring the rights and freedoms of women, girls and boys.”

Ms Gitanjali Singh, UN Women Representative, highlighted the global scale of the problem, “Digital violence knows no borders. Worldwide, between 16 and 58 percent of women and girls face online violence or harassment. Online harassment and bullying frequently spill into offline spaces, silencing women’s voices and restricting their participation in public life.  A different future is possible. If our ambition is for a peaceful, prosperous, and resilient Bangladesh, then there can be no higher priority for our support than women and girls. Together, we can create a future where women and girls are safe everywhere in Bangladesh. We owe it to women and girls.” 

A high-level panel discussion followed the inauguration, titled “Preventing Technology-Facilitated Violence in Bangladesh: Gaps, Challenges and Recommendations.” Moderated by Ms Dilara Begum, Joint Secretary, MoWCA, the discussion featured experts from regulatory bodies, academia, government, and youth-led platforms, including Mr Mahmud Hossain (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission), Ms Nasima Akhtar Khatun (University Grants Commission), Ms Ummey Sharaban Tahura (Law and Justice Division), and Ms Labonno Binte Hafiz (Youth Policy Forum). Panelists highlighted critical gaps such as insufficient evidence-based policymaking, weak enforcement mechanisms, limited digital literacy among women and girls, and the absence of a coordinated national framework for reporting and responding to online harms. They emphasized that digital violence is deeply intertwined with social norms and power structures and requires integrated approaches across prevention, protection, and accountability.

In her closing remarks, UNFPA Representative Ms Catherine Breen Kamkong said, “Technology Facilitated GBV is real, and it deserves the same serious attention as any other form of GBV. Recognizing it clearly, as we have done here today, is a very small step forward. We need a legal framework and guidelines to improve the investigation. The prevention and response need to be survivor-centric.”

Throughout the programme, speakers reiterated that digital violence is not merely a technological issue but a human rights and development challenge that restricts women’s freedom, safety, and participation. The event underscored the need for stronger laws, greater accountability from technology companies, survivor-centred support mechanisms, and expanded investment in digital literacy and norm change.

As Bangladesh marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the 2025 campaign calls upon government institutions, the private sector, civil society, youth networks, and international partners to take concrete and coordinated measures to eliminate technology-facilitated violence.

For media inquiries: Shararat Islam; Communication Analyst; shararat.islam@unwomen.org

Notes to Editor:

About UN Women

UN Women exists to advance women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. As the lead UN entity on gender equality, we shift laws, institutions, social behaviours and services to close the gender gap and build an equal world for all women and girls. We keep the rights of women and girls at the centre of global progress – always, everywhere. Because gender equality is not just what we do. It is who we are. Please visit: https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/countries/bangladesh

About the campaign

The 16 Days of Activism is a global initiative led by UN Women under the UNiTE to End Violence against Women movement, running annually from 25 November to 10 December. Know more: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/theme