The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, observed annually on November 25, serves as a solemn reminder of a persistent global crisis and a call to action against one of the most pervasive human rights violations of our time. This year’s theme, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls,” spotlights the alarming rise of technology-facilitated abuse, a rapidly evolving threat that mirrors and amplifies offline harms.
Violence against women remains a staggering reality. Globally, approximately one in three women have experienced physical and/or harassment violence in their lifetime. More devastatingly, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member every 10 minutes, a grim statistic that underscores the urgency of this issue. The digital realm, far from being an escape, has become a new frontier for this violence, where online harassment, cyberstalking, deepfakes, and hate speech proliferate, seeking to silence women’s voices, especially those in public life, such as journalists, activists, and politicians.
The proposed Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill 2025 was approved by the National Assembly in this regard. The law seeks to penalize domestic abuse with a minimum sentence of six months and a maximum sentence of three years in prison, as well as a fine of up to Rs. 100,000. The measure does provide a strong precedent for other provinces and administrative regions to follow, even though it is only applicable to Islamabad.
The online abuse of women is not a separate, minor issue; it is a direct attack on their fundamental rights and often a precursor to physical violence. Weak technological regulation and the anonymity of perpetrators have allowed this scourge to grow, creating an environment where a significant percentage of women, including 73% of women, have experienced some form of online violence. This digital aggression has severe consequences for mental health, economic participation, and freedom of expression, hindering progress towards true gender equality.
Ending this crisis is a shared responsibility and demands a multi-faceted approach. Laws alone are insufficient unless matched by societal change. The global community, through the UN Secretary-General’s “UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women” campaign, calls on all stakeholders to join forces.
Specific calls to action for a violence-free future include: Governments must end impunity by enacting and enforcing robust laws that criminalize all forms of digital violence and provide comprehensive support for survivors. Technology companies need to be held accountable, ensuring their platforms are safe, transparently removing harmful content, and enforcing clear codes of conduct. Donors must invest resources in local women’s rights organizations and feminist movements, which are at the forefront of this fight. Individuals and communities must challenge harmful gender norms, reject and report abusers, and support survivors by offering empathy and helpful information.
This International Day is a critical moment to reaffirm our collective commitment to the full realization of women’s rights. By working together to ensure all spaces, both physical and digital, are safe, we can build a world where every woman and girl can thrive without fear, free from violence and discrimination.