In Focus: 16 Days of Activism 2025 in the Arab States: Ending Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls
Date:
Every year, from 25 November to 10 December, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence mobilizes governments, civil society, youth networks and communities across the Arab States to demand an end to violence against women and girls. In a region where digital connectivity is rapidly expanding, this year’s theme - UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls - underscores how technology is transforming daily life while also creating new and urgent risks.
Across the Arab States, digital violence has become a serious and fast-evolving threat. Women and girls are subjected to a spectrum of abuse, including unwanted sexual images and messages, insults and hate speech, harassing calls, doxing, deepfake manipulation, impersonation, cyberstalking and coordinated smear campaigns. These attacks aim to silence women and girls, damage reputations, and push them out of online spaces. Alarmingly, the harm often extends beyond the screen: 44 per cent of women who experienced online violence reported that the abuse moved into physical spaces, sometimes with fatal consequences, affecting safety, mental health and participation in public life.
Addressing digital violence requires coordinated regional action: stronger and enforced laws; safer digital platforms; accessible and survivor-centred support services; and meaningful engagement from governments, tech companies, media, youth and communities.
Throughout the 16 Days, UN Women works with partners across the Arab States to advance prevention, protection and accountability, and to highlight every woman and girl’s right to participate safely - online and offline. Through evidence, advocacy, and collaborative initiatives, the campaign calls on all actors to challenge harmful narratives, promote responsible digital behaviour, and help secure inclusive and safe digital environments.
Using the colour orange as a symbol of hope and solidarity, the region will unite to raise awareness and drive change. Join us during the 16 Days to amplify voices, share evidence, and help build a digital world free from violence.
ONLINE SAFETY 101
What is digital abuse?
Online safety 101: What every woman and girl should know
Digital abuse (also called technology-facilitated violence against women and girls) covers a wide spectrum of violent behaviors. Learn more
PRESS RELEASES
FEATURED STORY
8 December 2025
How Yemeni women face – and fight – digital abuse and online harassment
With the rise of cyber blackmail and online violence, women in Yemen are breaking the silence and demanding more from the justice system. Learn more
SOCIAL MEDIA WALL
UPCOMING EVENTS
| The UNiTE “Piece of the Puzzle” social media campaign brings together UN Women, UNFPA, UN ESCWA, WHO and the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University to showcase 16 social media posts that highlighting a variety of service providers, entities, and institutions profiles throughout the Arab region. Each post demonstrates how their work contributes to ending violence against women and girls—making them essential pieces of the puzzle. |
| A joint League of Arab States-United Nations event for the 16 Days of Activism against campaign titled "Making All Spaces Safe: Advancing Digital Safety for Women and Girls in the Arab Region," celebrates and amplifies a unified call to end digital violence against women and girls. By raising awareness on emerging forms of technology-facilitated violence, the event highlights critical regional leadership and intergovernmental efforts to combat this growing threat. It will also showcase innovations, tools, and digital initiatives that promote safe and inclusive online spaces across the region. |
| UN Women is holding a two-day regional conference titled "From Pledge to Action to fulfill Beijing + 30 Review Commitments in the Arab States: Sharing Knowledge on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls" which will take place on 8 and 9 December 2025 and is organized in partnership with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with financial support from the French Development Agency. This event will provide a platform for technical government representatives, practitioners and experts from across the Arab States region to discuss progress and share solutions to persistent challenges in achieving the Beijing +30 review commitments to end violence against women and girls. It will also serve as a forum to discuss international, regional and national legal and policy reforms, exchanging good practices, and identifying opportunities for their expansion. |