Tech Coalition’s Post

In the fight against gender-based violence (GBV), technology has emerged as a powerful ally. Digital innovations are transforming how we address, prevent, and respond to GBV, creating safer environments for vulnerable populations and amplifying the voices of survivors. From mobile apps that provide immediate support to victims, to online platforms raising awareness about GBV, technology offers tools for both empowerment and action. For instance, helpline apps connect survivors with critical services, while social media campaigns mobilize communities and challenge harmful norms. Additionally, data-driven solutions, such as reporting tools and analytics platforms, help identify patterns of abuse and inform policy-making for targeted interventions. At iLEAD AFRICA, we are committed to leveraging these innovations to combat GBV. Through our programs, we empower individuals and organizations to utilize digital tools for advocacy, education, and support. Together, we can harness the transformative potential of technology to build a future free from violence and inequality. The future is digital, and the fight against GBV is no exception. By embracing innovation, we can accelerate progress toward a safer and more inclusive society. 🎥 Credit: @unwomen #iLeadAfrica #BeTheChange #iLeadAgainstGBV #16DaysofActivism #NoExcuse #EndDigitalViolence #DGBV #StopOnlineAbuse #GenderEquality #DigitalSafety

We were honored to join partners at the "ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Online Protection 2024" last week to discuss and exchange ideas on creating safer online spaces for children. We emphasized the connections between violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC), both online and offline. Despite often intersecting within the same families, policies typically address them separately. However, research shows that frontline workers, including crisis services, police, health professionals, and social workers, frequently respond to both issues in practice. We also discussed findings from the UN Multi-Country Study on Men and Violence, which surveyed over 10,000 men and 3,000 women across six countries in Asia-Pacific. The study revealed that half of the men who committed rape did so for the first time as teenagers, with 12% being under 15, often due to a sense of sexual entitlement. It also found that childhood experiences of violence and social norms around dominance strongly influence their use of violence against women. Understanding these intersections is key to developing holistic responses and solutions that address the root causes, challenge harmful gender norms, and create safer environments for women and children.

Powerful insights from the High-Level Opening Panel, emphasized the importance of collaboration, prevention, and amplifying youth voices to combat online violence against children: Dr. Najat Maalla M'jid, UN SRSG on Violence against Children: "We must make child safety by design and child privacy by design mandatory before technology is launched." Dr. Omar Abdi, Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF: "In 2000, 6% of the world was online. Now it's 66% and rapidly increasing. There's no distinction between online and offline." UNICEF is urging governments to integrate online risks into violence prevention efforts, and to prioritise children's rights in digital governance. The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated Rhiannon-Faye McDonald, Survivor leader, Global Survivor Council Brave Movement, and Head of Advocacy, Marie Collins Foundation "While prevention is absolutely essential, we also need to help children who have been harmed. Professionals aren't equipped to support children impacted by online abuse. We need to upscale capacity...Abuse thrives in silence. We need to have the conversation. It leads to victims and survivors being able to disclose and tell you what we need... please speak about it." Daphne, Young Activist, Programa de Salud Joven de Fundación PLAN: "Digital violence manifests in various forms, from cyberbullying to grooming, where adults manipulate minors through social media. It is essential that we develop clear and effective strategies to ensure our protection in these digital environments." Marie Mokuba, Global Youth-Led Movement: "Knowledge is power... information is crucial when working with young people. We need to have lived experience and young people feeding into these initiatives”

📢 As the first ministerial conference on ending violence against children draws near, we're one of nearly 20 organisations advising governments to enact bold, globally aligned legislation that prioritises children’s safety and wellbeing. 🛑 And, with over 300 million children affected annually, we need sustainable funding and investment in public health and prevention strategies to tackle the root causes of online child exploitation urgently because #childrencantwait. Read an open letter from Iain Drennan Daniela Ligiero (she/her) and Marija Manojlovic that has our support: https://lnkd.in/ee5ZqDrY #SafeDigitalFutures #EndViolence And please share this post to amplify this crucial message ahead of the historic opportunity in Bogota

As we continue to celebrate Digital Health Week, it is crucial to acknowledge the alarming prevalence of technology-assisted gender-based violence in Sub-Saharan Africa. women and girls are disproportionately affected and often face online harassment and abuse. We must promote digital responsibility by fostering safe online environments to combat this pressing issue. This includes implementing robust legal frameworks, providing education on digital rights, and developing innovative digital interventions to combat GBV and ensure equality for all. #digitalhealthweek #safedigitalspaces

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 #𝐔𝐍𝐢𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 #𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐕𝐀𝐖𝐆 . Here's how: ✔️ Hold perpetrators accountable and ensure there’s no tolerance for any form of violence. Advocate for strong laws and fair justice systems that protect survivors and deter violence. ✔️ Encourage governments to create, fund, and put into action National Action Plans that focus on stopping violence and supporting survivors. ✔️ Support organizations that champion women’s rights by providing resources to help them continue their work and ensure survivors get the help they need. ✔️ Invest in preventing violence by addressing its root causes. Educate communities, raise awareness, and challenge harmful practices that keep violence alive. ✔️ Make sure survivors can access essential services like safe shelters, counseling, legal aid, and healthcare. No survivor should face barriers when seeking help. ✔️ Get men and boys involved in being part of the solution. Encourage them to stand against violence and promote respect and equality in their communities. ✔️ Use technology to spread awareness, support survivors, and fight online violence. Digital spaces should be safe for everyone. ✔️ Work together with governments, organizations, and local communities to create sustainable, culturally sensitive solutions that protect women and girls. ✔️ Push for better data collection and research to understand the problem fully and find the best ways to solve it. Be a part of creating a world where women and girls live free from violence. 𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲! #UNiTECampaign #EagleWings

Protecting Young People Online: Collaboration, Not Prohibition ARACY opposes the proposed ban on social media for children under 16. Instead, we advocate for evidence-based, inclusive approaches that balance safety with young people's rights. Social media provides critical opportunities for connection, creativity, and community—especially for vulnerable groups like LGBTQIA+ youth and those in remote areas. Let’s prioritise: ✅ Engaging young people to identify problems and co-design digital safety solutions. ✅ Investing in evidence-based online safety measures, digital literacy, and parental supports. ✅ Collaborating with mental health organisations, platforms, and young people on protective measures. ✅ Addressing broader mental health challenges like family violence and economic insecurity. Bans risk isolating young people and driving them to unsafe spaces. Together, we can create a safer, empowering digital future where all children and young people can thrive. Read more in our submission to the Senate: https://lnkd.in/ga7-bjXf Today is the only day you can make a submission. Go here for more info: https://lnkd.in/gr2NkjkC #SocialMediaBan #ValuedLovedandSafe #Healthy #MentalHealth Michelle Rowland MP Anthony Albanese Dr. Anne Aly Anne Hollonds Department of Social Services (DSS) Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts

🌍 📢 Highlighting critical work on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) for the United Nations 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence! TFGBV is making online spaces increasingly hostile for women, girls, and other groups marginalized on the basis of their gender. Spotlight on Guatemala: ▪️ TFGBV in Guatemala is widespread and often plays out publicly in online spaces. ▪️ Indigenous Guatemalans, human rights activists, and LGBTQI+ individuals are disproportionately targeted, facing higher rates of cyberattacks and breaches of privacy. ▪️ There is no official way to report these violations, nor anywhere where data is officially recorded on the prevalence of TFGBV. Moonshot investigated existing services providing support to survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and TFGBV across Guatemala. 📊 Key findings: ✅ We identified 101 organizations across all 22 departments. Some departments, like Sololá, are well-served, while others, including densely populated Guatemala City, face severe service shortages. ✅ Of the organizations we mapped, only 10% of organizations offer digital literacy services and only 6% provide digital safety and wellness support—revealing a critical gap in services tailored to forms of TFGBV. ✅ The majority of services are provided in-person (82%), with only 9% of organizations able to provide virtual support, limiting access for people with disabilities or living in harder to reach areas. 🔍 Understanding the services and capabilities that already exist within a community is key to strengthening GBV and TFGBV prevention. We’ll be posting more about our work combating TFGBV in Guatemala over the next 16 days, as we engage with a group of incredible survivor-centered organizations. #16Daysofactivism #NoExcuse #EndViolence Learn more about Transform here ⤵️: https://lnkd.in/eXSt_JhX Read Moonshot’s handbook for Guatemalan organizations combating TFGBV here ⤵️: https://lnkd.in/eg32bDAF 

Human trafficking is a global pandemic that stemmed from the era of slavery and is still very much prevalent today. Here are five ways we can work together to prevent human trafficking: 1) Take a stand and wear blue. January 11 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Wear blue to help spread awareness. Learn more about the campaign at on the #WearBlueDay DHS website. 2) Understand the risk factors. To prevent individuals from being exploited, it’s important to recognize the risk factors and indicators of human trafficking. You should seek to better understand the victim’s perspective. One way to do this is by using the Blue Campaign Resources | Homeland Security (dhs.gov) which includes, a faith-based community toolkit, available in English and Spanish. 3) Know what to do and who to contact to report it. Share resources with your community at local events and public gatherings. You can report suspected human trafficking to federal law enforcement by calling 1-866-347-2423. You can get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. 4) Expand awareness in your community. Educate yourself and your faith community on what human trafficking is and how to recognize the signs of exploitation of another person. This is the first step in identifying victims and can help save a life. Learn more on the Blue Campaign website. 5) Understand how vulnerable communities are impacted. Not every person has equal access to the resources they need. You can help make sure they do. If you don’t know where to start, watch this recorded webinar: Addressing Racial Equity in Communities Vulnerable to Human Trafficking. You can also contact FEMA’s Office of Equal Rights for additional information on how to address inequalities. Like Comment Share

Happening this week!      We’ll be in Bogotá, Colombia, for the 1st ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending #ViolenceAgainstChildren, a historic moment to re-imagine a safer world for all children including adolescents.      Violence is a reality for half of the world’s children: 1 billion experience physical, emotional, or sexual abuse every year. Violence not only violates children's rights, it also impacts lifelong health and well-being. For girls, there are significant and distinctive risks - nearly 1 in 4 adolescent girls experience #IPV before age 20.      If you’re at the Conference, please join WHO & co-hosts to discuss;  🔸 the urgency of scaling up action to prevent violence against girls; 🔸 WHO’s INSPIRE and RESPECT Women evidence-based tools with proven prevention solutions; and 🔸 shared risk factors and intergenerational effects of #ViolenceAgainstWomen Hosted by the Governments of #Colombia and #Sweden, in partnership with World Health Organization, UNICEF and the UN SRSG on Violence Against Children, this Ministerial Conference seeks to reset collective ambitions with bold new commitments for child protection.     Halfway past the 2030 #SDGs deadline to end all forms of violence against children, solutions exist – it’s time to take them to scale. For info on the conference, our events and related resources ➡ https://bit.ly/4hzN3ZC