UNGA side event urges coordinated action to stop technology-facilitated violence against women and girls

# What happened On the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, the Republic of Croatia and UN Women hosted the G77 and Emerging Partners Ministerial Roundtable titled "Addressing Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls." Delegates included national ministers, survivors, civil society groups, technology experts, youth advocates and private sector representatives.

# Why it mattered Speakers framed technology-facilitated violence as a gender-equality and human-rights problem with real-world harm. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković of Croatia said "Online violence is not simply a digital problem," calling attention to harm that begins online and continues offline. UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous highlighted the urgency of protecting women's participation in digital and public life and urged removing barriers so women can safely shape future technologies.

# Who spoke and what they reported

# Practical measures discussed

• Law and enforcement: Governments were called on to make laws enforceable and ensure institutions are resourced to investigate and prosecute technology-facilitated abuse.
• Survivor services: Delegates emphasized accessible, confidential, sustained support delivered by resourced frontline responders.
• Prevention and education: Participants highlighted the need for digital literacy for young people and engagement of men and boys to challenge norms that enable abuse.
• International cooperation: Because online abuse crosses borders, speakers pressed for coordinated international approaches and common standards.

# Concrete examples mentioned

• Türkiye: legislative strengthening and national digital safety initiatives.
• Nigeria: efforts to close legislative gaps and establish coordinated survivor-centred systems across justice and social services.
• Bangladesh: calls for enhanced international cooperation on digital harassment.
• Croatia: legal reform paired with digitalization to improve access to justice.

# What to watch next Expect follow-up in national policy announcements and UN Women's continued tracking. UN Women's Global Database on Violence against Women and Girls was cited as a tool for tracking government measures addressing technology-facilitated forms of violence and identifying continuing needs for stronger laws, prevention, services and accountability.

# Bottom line Participants agreed the response must be coordinated, practical and cross-sectoral: safer product design, enforceable laws, funded services for survivors, education for young people, and international cooperation. The roundtable put survivor protection and prevention at the center of the conversation and pushed for concrete implementation by governments and the private sector.