As part of the 2025 commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (25 November to 10 December), HISA Namibia, in collaboration with the United Nations in Namibia and UNFPA, with support from the European Union (EU), will host a high-level panel discussion.
The event, to take place on 5 December in Windhoek, will be held under the theme: ‘Ending Digital Violence Against Women and Girls’.
While the digital space offers immense opportunities for empowerment, connection, and learning, it has simultaneously emerged as a new frontier for gender-based violence.
Pervasive forms of digital violence including cyberstalking, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, online harassment, hate speech, and doxxing disproportionately affect women and girls.
These acts silence voices, infringe upon fundamental rights, and severely limit equal participation in public and digital life.
Aligned with the global theme for the 16 Days of Activism, this panel discussion addresses the urgent need to understand, prevent, and respond to technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Namibia.
The event is designed to spark a critical multi-stakeholder dialogue aimed at creating a safer and more inclusive digital environment for all, thereby bridging the gap between technological advancement, human rights, and gender equality.
About 50 individuals from various institutions are expected to participate.
These will include policymakers and government officials, representatives from the diplomatic community, civil society organizations and youth-led groups, academia and researchers, legal and law enforcement professionals, media representatives, GBV survivors and advocates, and the United Nations.
In the photo: Online GBV is increasingly becoming a serious issue.
