This year, UNFPA Caribbean joined the global community in marking the 16 Days of Activism with a strong regional call to end all forms of gender-based violence, including technology-facilitated GBV (TFGBV). From cyberstalking and online harassment to image-based abuse and digital hate, these online harms have real and profound impacts on women and girls across the region.
The 2025 campaign focused on art and culture as tools for advocacy, healing, and resistance. Murals, creative youth sessions, cultural showcases, and interviews with stakeholders highlighted the role of visual expression in sparking dialogue, challenging harmful norms, and building solidarity within communities. This approach placed artists, young people, and cultural practitioners at the heart of the movement, demonstrating that art can be a powerful form of action.
Gender-based violence remains widespread across the English-speaking Caribbean, with nearly 46% of women in some countries experiencing at least one form of violence in their lifetime. As digital connectivity expands, online spaces have become new arenas for risk and intimidation. UNFPA emphasized the importance of responding creatively and boldly to these evolving challenges, promoting digital safety and awareness among communities.
Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence extends offline harm into digital spaces, using apps, messaging platforms, and online tools. Through youth-focused sessions, participants shared experiences and practical strategies to respond, including reporting, blocking, and peer support. UNFPA works to educate and empower communities to prevent TFGBV and foster safer online environments.
Partnerships with ECLAC, UN Women, and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office helped advance research, youth engagement, and awareness initiatives. This included the regional study on women in public life and creative campaigns during the 16 Days of Activism. The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action was also marked, reinforcing UNFPA’s commitment to protecting the rights and wellbeing of women, girls, and young people in both physical and digital spaces.
In Trinidad and Tobago, gaps in legislation addressing GBV, particularly TFGBV, present challenges for survivors, law enforcement, and support agencies. UNFPA contributes technical expertise and promotes systemic solutions, working with government, civil society, and specialist agencies to strengthen prevention, reporting, and protection measures. The growing digital dimension of crime underscores the urgency of building digital safety, improving legal frameworks, and empowering communities.
This year’s campaign, themed “Let’s Unite to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” transformed activism into community-driven action. Initiatives included a mural project as a bold statement of solidarity, an artist-led creative workshop engaging youth and partners, and recorded interviews to amplify voices and reinforce commitments. Together, these efforts fostered dialogue, digital literacy, and safer spaces online and offline, advancing the mission to end gender-based violence in the Caribbean
