Can we imagine a world where every woman and girl feels safe, truly safe, in every space she enters?

Where she can walk into any room or online space without bracing for harassment.
Where she can speak up without fear. 
Where she can connect with others without worry of abuse or manipulation.

This world is possible. But only if we choose to build it. 

Each year, from 25 November to 10 December, millions of people join the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, a global reminder that violence against women is still the most widespread human rights violation in the world. Ending this violence is not only a moral obligation; it is imperative for women’s participation, leadership, and equality in every aspect of life.

Armenia has made great strides but violence against women persists. 

Laws have improved and support services expanded. Still more than 17% of women aged 15-59 in Armenia report having experienced domestic violence. Yet the numbers don’t show us the full picture. Fear, shame, stigma and lack of trust in systems still prevent survivors from seeking help. 

Rapid technological change has opened a new and dangerous frontier.

As technology advances, abuse has expanded across both offline and online spaces. Digital tools are being used to harass, manipulate, intimidate, and harm. For women and girls from marginalized groups such as women with disabilities and refugee women the risks are even greater.

This is why, in 2025, the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE 2025 Campaign focuses on this fast-growing form of abuse: digital violence against women and girls. 

Digital violence takes many forms, including online sexual harassment, image-based abuse such as “revenge porn,” AI-generated deepfakes, doxing, online grooming and exploitation, stalking, and tracking. These forms of abuse may take place in virtual spaces, but their impact is painfully real, causing psychological trauma, financial harm, and often escalating into offline violence.

Digital violence does not remain online, it fuels offline violence, and the other way around. 

A 2024 Council of Europe study found that 98% of survivors of offline violence surveyed reported experiencing digital violence in addition to other forms of abuse. This means abusers do not choose between online or offline tools, they are using both.

Digital violence continues the history of silencing women. 

Women in public life whether politicians, journalists, activists, or community leaders are often targeted. Threats and harassment push them out of public spaces, shrinking women’s voices and weakening progress toward equality.

Our call to action

As the United Nations in Armenia—UNFPA and UN Women—we call on government institutions, civil society, the private sector, and every community to join us in building safe digital and physical environments for all women and girls. We must:

• End impunity by strengthening legislation and building the capacity of law enforcement to address digital gender-based violence.
• Ensure survivors receive specialised support and have access to justice.
• Protect the rights, privacy, and safety of women and girls, especially those in public life and those from marginalized groups.
• Increase digital resilience and literacy, equipping women and girls with the tools to navigate online spaces safely and confidently.

Digital spaces can and should be powerful places for connection, leadership, and empowerment, but only if we make them safe.

Stand with us. Speak out. Act now. During these 16 Days and beyond, let us commit to creating a future where safety is not a privilege, but a guarantee.

Lusine Sargsyan, Head of Office, UNFPA Armenia CO

Kaori Ishikawa, UN Women Country Representative in Georgia and Liaison for the South Caucasus, on the occasion of the International Day for Care and Support