Girls Activist Youth Organisation (GAYO) is proud to stand with the global community for the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, running from 25 November to 10 December. This year’s theme, “End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” speaks directly to one of the most urgent and fast-growing threats facing women and girls in Malawi and across the world.
Digital platforms have become essential spaces for learning, expression, activism, and opportunity. Yet these same spaces have increasingly become grounds for harassment, exploitation, cyberbullying, non-consensual sharing of images, misinformation, and harmful stereotypes targeting women and girls. For many young women, especially those in rural communities, online violence doesn’t just silence their voices. it steals their confidence, limits their participation, and closes doors to valuable digital skills and economic opportunities.
Why This Campaign Matters
Ending digital violence is not only a matter of protection it is a matter of rights, dignity, and future progress. As more education, health information, and economic activity move online, girls who feel unsafe or threatened in digital spaces risk being left behind. Digital violence is real violence. Its impact stretches beyond screens into mental health, academic achievement, economic wellbeing, and community participation.
GAYO’s Role in Strengthening Safe Digital Spaces
Through our work in Mchinji and beyond, GAYO continues to champion adolescent girls’ rights to safe, inclusive, and empowering digital environments. During the 16 Days of Activism, we will:
• Raise awareness on the different forms of digital violence what they look like, how they happen, and how communities can prevent them.
• Engage young people in digital literacy and online safety discussions to equip them with practical tools to navigate the digital world confidently and responsibly.
• Amplify girls’ voices by sharing stories, insights, and messages from girls and young women who advocate for safer online spaces.
• Collaborate with schools, communities, and partners to spark collective action that promotes accountability and builds a culture of protection and respect online.
We believe digital spaces must be built on equality and safety. Our call to action extends to families, educators, policymakers, and technology users of all ages. Ending digital violence requires stronger policies, community awareness, responsible technology use, and supportive systems that protect survivors.
- Creating a safe digital environment for every girl means:
- Respecting privacy and consent.
- Challenging harmful online behaviours.
- Reporting and responding to digital abuse.
- Equipping girls with digital skills without fear or intimidation.
As the world enters the 16 Days of Activism 2025, GAYO reaffirms its commitment to ensuring every girl enjoys the full promise of the digital age free from fear, discrimination, and violence. We envision a Malawi where women and girls thrive both offline and online, where technology becomes a tool for empowerment rather than harm, and where communities stand united in defending digital rights.
By speaking up, educating one another, and standing in solidarity, we can transform digital spaces into places of opportunity, learning, creativity, and freedom.
