From screens to streets: Europe and Central Asia unite to end digital violence against women and girls
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Orange lights illuminated city landmarks. Survivor stories filled social media feeds. Young people, artists, policymakers and influencers turned classrooms, theatres, cafés and online platforms into spaces for honest conversation and collective action.
Across Europe and Central Asia, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign showed the power of a region moving together around one clear message: digital violence is real violence and there is no excuse for it.
A regional campaign rooted in real stories
At the regional level, UN Women Europe and Central Asia regional office (ECARO) launched the campaign with a powerful video amplifying real-life stories of women and girls from across the region who have experienced digital violence. This year’s campaign focused on increasing awareness on digital violence and its forms and strategic influencer engagement - including voices from Albania, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -reaching 1.6 million social media users.
Art and culture played a central role in making digital violence visible. In Istanbul, ECARO convened a special viewing of Suzanne Lacy’s “Birlikte/Together” exhibition in partnership with UNFPA EECARO, UNDCO and the Sakıp Sabancı Museum. In Central Asia, the regional data art exhibition “Tirek: The Thread of Her Life”, where each artwork is inspired by gender data, continued its journey, sparking dialogue and reflection when it opened in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The regional message was further amplified through exclusive interviews with the Regional Director on outlets such as Euronews and TRT World, and concluded with a joint op-ed by the Regional Directors of UN Women, UNFPA, UNDCO and WHO, reinforcing a unified UN stance against digital violence.
Stories of action from across the region
Across countries, UN Women offices translated the global theme into locally grounded action - combining advocacy, creativity, youth leadership and institutional engagement.
In Albania, the campaign reached 370,000 social media users, backed by 19 media features. More than 10 schools and over 1,400 students took the lead in peer-led activities on technology-facilitated violence, engaging parents, teachers and communities and reinforcing prevention from an early age.
In Armenia, UN Women and UNFPA partnered with five influencers to expose AI-generated abuse, online harassment and blackmail. Their videos reached over 700,000 views, blending personal testimony with practical guidance and survivor-support information.
In Azerbaijan, the campaign was coordinated across the UN Country Team and launched with a national conference alongside the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs. Parliamentarians, private sector leaders, artists and writers engaged through dialogues on Women’s Empowerment Principles, theatre performances with Theatre O2, and literary discussions at the Writer’s House, positioning digital violence as a societal, not individual, problem.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the campaign achieved strong national visibility with over 130 media placements and 1.8 million social media views. Led by UN Women under the Gender Equality Accelerator, the campaign coincided with the launch of the EU IPA GBV Programme, while youth-led actions and artistic collaborations helped localize messages across communities.
In Georgia, the campaign was covered by six media outlets, with civil society consultations advancing dialogue on eliminating technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
In Kazakhstan, art and cinema became catalysts for change. Alongside the opening of “Tirek: The Thread of Her Life” in Almaty, the “No to Violence” Film Festival in Astana brought together filmmakers, actors, activists and UN partners, demonstrating the role of storytelling in challenging harmful norms.
In Kosovo, the campaign combined policy, youth innovation and community outreach. Through Orange Code 16, young women and men co-created solutions for safer online spaces. Cafés across Prishtina joined the campaign, while new EU-aligned Gender Mainstreaming Policy Guidance documents strengthened institutional responses.
In Kyrgyzstan, government partnerships brought line ministries into the campaign, while public messaging at major airports exposed tens of thousands of travelers to campaign messages.
In Moldova, three simultaneous marches across cities brought together 1,000 participants, while influencer storytelling helped break silence around digital abuse.
In North Macedonia, social theatre performances and a broad UN-led partnership sparked public dialogue on often overlooked forms of violence, from digital to economic abuse.
In Serbia, new national research on digital violence anchored public discussion in evidence. A flagship event co-hosted with the Embassies of Canada and Switzerland and strong UN Country Team engagement reinforced collective responsibility.
In Tajikistan, the campaign connected digital safety with peace and security. From the national launch at the Women, Peace and Security Forum to Tech Talks, coding workshops and media roundtables, activities engaged young people, bloggers and communities across the country.
In Türkiye, the #FullStop campaign achieved nationwide reach, supported by the European Union. With millions reached through print, digital and broadcast media, the campaign mobilized Goodwill Ambassadors, influencers, youth volunteers and civil society — including the launch of a specialized ChatGPT tool explaining digital violence and its forms.
In Ukraine, despite the ongoing context, the campaign maintained visibility and solidarity around ending violence against women and girls.
In Uzbekistan, ECARO supported the national launch of the global campaign through a high-level event jointly convened with the Senate of Uzbekistan, bringing together senior decision-makers and regional partners. The campaign also entered everyday spaces: visuals were displayed in all KorZinka supermarkets across the country, reaching an estimated thousands customers daily.
Beyond 16 days
Across Europe and Central Asia, the 2025 campaign showed that digital violence is no longer invisible — and that communities are ready to confront it.
As the orange lights fade, the momentum continues: in policies and platforms, in classrooms and creative spaces, and in everyday online interactions. Until technology expands freedom instead of fear - and every woman and girl can live, speak and participate safely and freely, online and offline.
- ^ References to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).