In 2025, UNESCO Islamabad framed the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence around the increasingly complex challenge of digital violence. The campaign went beyond a single event, using high-level advocacy, artistic expression, and youth empowerment to create a practical “survival framework” for women and marginalized groups navigating online spaces. Symbolic gestures, such as illuminating landmarks in orange, highlighted the visibility of these issues across Pakistan.
The campaign launched at the Pakistan National Council of Arts in Islamabad, chaired by Federal Minister for Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, underscoring that nearly half of the world’s women lack legal protection against online abuse. To humanize these hidden harms, UNESCO collaborated with ten UN agencies for the “Seen & Unseen” art exhibition, where Pakistani artists visually represented the experiences of victims of digital harassment, bridging the gap between statistics and lived realities.
Recognizing the role of technology in silencing women, UNESCO partnered with Media Matters for Democracy to advance digital advocacy under the “Towards Internet Universality: Promoting Meaningful Gender Inclusion” project. This initiative highlighted the real-world impact of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, raised awareness of harmful online behaviors, and provided practical guidance for digital safety and literacy, in alignment with Pakistan’s Digital Gender Inclusion Strategy.
Youth engagement formed a central pillar of the campaign. Partnering with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, UNESCO launched “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” beginning at the Pakistan Reading and Learning Festival and extending across Punjab. Training sessions in Bahawalpur and Toba Tek Singh certified 550 students as “Digital Safety Advocates,” increased awareness of digital safety from 16.5% to 100%, and produced youth-led digital content reaching approximately 300,000 people online. The campaign culminated in Lahore, where provincial authorities joined youth in pledging to create safer digital spaces.
The initiative also addressed transgender rights in both physical and digital learning environments. In collaboration with the School Education Department South Punjab and UNAIDS, the TransEducation Initiative provided inclusive education and skills development, highlighting that while physical spaces can be safe, transgender individuals still face significant online harassment.
The 2025 campaign left a sustainable legacy, establishing a network of trained advocates and creating a foundation for ongoing efforts to protect women and marginalized communities online. While the 16 Days formally concluded, the initiatives continue to advance digital safety, inclusion, and empathy, contributing to a safer, more inclusive digital Pakistan.
